New research in the UK has found that alcohol can reduce the risk of developing cataracts. The study found that people who drank no more than 14 units of alcohol per week had a lower risk of developing cataracts, especially if they drank red wine.
The Guardian reported on March 31 that researchers noted that the antioxidants found in wine help explain why moderate drinkers have a 23 percent lower risk of cataract surgery. Cataracts are cloudy patches that form in the lens of the eye and are one of the leading causes of impaired vision and Blindness, mainly in the elderly. In the United Kingdom, approximately 450,000 cataract extractions are performed each year.
Scholars at Moorfields eye hospital in London and the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London studied the medical treatment and lifestyles of 492,549 subjects who participated in the UK Biobank or Epic-Norfolk Human health Study. UK Biobank is a large-scale, long-term biobanking program designed to study the effects of genetic and environmental factors, including nutrition, lifestyle, and medications, on disease development.
Researchers found that people who drank no more than the government’s recommended 14 alcohol units per week (equivalent to six and a half glasses) were less likely to have cataract surgery, and that those who drank wine had a lower risk of developing cataracts than those who drank beer or spirits. In the Epic-Norfolk study, people who drank wine at least five times a week were 23 percent less likely to have their cataracts removed than nondrinkers, and 14 percent less likely in the British Biosample Bank study.
Sharon Chua, the study’s first author, said their findings were particularly pronounced among wine drinkers, which may indicate the protective effects of polyphenol antioxidants, which are particularly abundant in red wine. However, the report also emphasizes that although moderate alcohol consumption appears to be strongly associated with cataracts, they did not find a clear cause-and-effect relationship.
Along with factors such as smoking, diabetes and Family history, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has listed alcohol consumption as a risk factor for cataracts.
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