Investigation Hot drunk black tea protects our eyes

Caffeinated tea reduces the risk of glaucoma (Green Star)

Hot caffeinated tea apparently has a positive effect on the eyes. In a recent study, researchers looked at the effects of different drinks consumption on the risk of glaucoma (green star) and hot caffeinated tea was the best by far. Regular consumption was associated with a significantly reduced disease risk.

Subjects who consumed at least one cup of hot caffeinated tea daily were 74% less likely to develop glaucoma compared to those who did not consume hot tea, the research team led by Connie Wu of Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Rhode Island (USA). There was no statistically significant correlation for the other beverages tested, such as coffee (caffeinated and decaffeinated), soft drinks and decaffeinated tea. The researchers published their results in the journal "British Journal of Ophthalmology".

Five percent of the subjects fell ill with a cataract

Based on the data from 1678 subjects from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the researchers investigated possible associations between the risk of glaucoma and the preferred drinks of the study participants. In total, 84 subjects (5 percent) developed glaucoma.

Only hot caffeinated tea showed an effect

"There were no statistically significant associations between the consumption of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, iced tea and soft drinks with glaucoma," the researchers report. However, participants who consumed at least one cup of hot caffeinated tea daily showed a 74 percent lower risk of disease than subjects who did not consume tea, the study authors added.

New approaches to prevention?

Although caffeinated tea was associated with a lower risk of disease and decaffeinated tea had no effect, it remains questionable whether the effect is due to caffeine. For example, ice tea - despite the caffeine content - showed no effect. Further research is therefore needed to further define the importance of current study results. Here it is also important to find out whether caffeine-containing hot tea can play a role in the prevention of glaucomatous optic neuropathy, the researchers concluded.