Beware, coffee lovers! New study reveals this common brew may cause incurable blindness
The study, published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, mentions that instant coffees can increase your risk of getting age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 700 per cent.
AMD is the leading cause of blindness. And it is incurable.
The study mentions that the results showed a genetic correlation between those who consume instant coffees and dry AMD. In fact, with every increase in instant coffee intake, the risk of getting dry AMD was nearly seven times higher.
'Our results revealed a genetic correlation between instant coffee consumption and dry AMD, with each standard deviation (SD) increase in instant coffee intake associated with a corresponding odds ratio (OR) of approximately 6.92 for dry AMD, indicating a 6.92-fold increased risk,' the study says.
'Instant coffee may increase the risk of AMD, and reducing its intake could help prevent dry AMD.' The study further suggests that people who are at high risk for AMD should avoid instant coffee. Also Read | Smart espresso machine craze: Is India ready for connected coffee?
The journal explains that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye disease and one of the 'leading causes of irreversible blindness'.
There are two types of AMD: wet AMD and dry AMD.
Dry AMD: The most common type of AMD has no exact cause. According to Johns Hopkins, the 'loss of vision in this condition is usually slow and gradual'.
Wet AMD: Though this type is less common, it usually leads to more severe vision loss in patients than dry AMD, Johns Hopkins says. It is the most common cause of severe loss of vision.
'Wet AMD happens when abnormal blood vessels start to grow beneath the retina. They leak fluid and blood – hence the name wet AMD – and can create a large blind spot in the centre of the visual field,' it said.
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