Drink decaf to save your sight

New research has shown that drinking more than three cups of coffee a day may increase the risk of vision loss, and even blindness.

Researchers looked at 120,000 people in the UK and US over the age of 40 who were not suffering from glaucoma.  They completed questionnaires about their coffee consumption and had medical records checked. The results showed that even small amounts of the drink can increase the likelihood of developing glaucoma.

Glaucoma occurs when the drainage tubes in the eye become slightly blocked, which prevent eye fluid draining properly.  This causes pressure to build up and can damage the optic nerve.

The researchers found no connection between other products containing caffeine, such as tea of cola.

This research is supported by previous research conducted in Scandinavia, where they have the highest occurrence of the condition and the highest consumption of caffeinated coffee in the world.