Aspirin can be beneficial to eye health

December 2, 2009

Many Americans take a low-dose aspirin everyday to reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke, but a new study published in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, suggests that aspirin therapy can also be good for your eye health.

In the 10-year Women's Health Study, which involved 39,421 women, half were given a daily dose of aspirin, and half were given a placebo. In those who received the aspirin, the instance of advanced macular degeneration (AMD) was decreased by 18 percent.

This is exciting news, as AMD is one of the leading causes of age-related blindness in American.

To reduce your risk of developing the condition, the American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends living a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, avoiding cigarettes and visiting your eye care professional regularly.

It's also important to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses whenever you go outside during the day.
The AOA suggests that Americans over the age of 60 visit their eye doctor at least once a year to monitor their eye health.