About 200 million people worldwide live with a vision problem called age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This eye disease mainly affects a person’s central vision, causing blurriness or trouble seeing fine details.
There are two types of AMD:
- Dry AMD — the most common type, caused by natural aging damage to the eye’s macula (a part of the retina).
- Wet AMD — caused by abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye.
Key Risk Factors for AMD
Scientists know several things can increase AMD risk. Some factors cannot be changed, like:
- Age
- Genetics (family history)
Others can be changed, such as:
- Smoking
- Body weight
- Exercise habits
- Diet
Eating healthy foods rich in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, plus vitamins C and E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, may help reduce the chance of getting AMD.
New Study Links Instant Coffee and Genetics to Dry AMD
A recent study found that drinking instant coffee, combined with certain genetic factors, may raise the risk of developing dry AMD by nearly seven times.
Researchers used data from over 500,000 people in the UK Biobank and genetic information from Finnish adults aged 50 and older. They looked at different coffee types:
- Decaffeinated
- Ground coffee
- Instant coffee
They discovered that people genetically inclined to drink instant coffee had a higher risk of dry AMD, but this link was not found with other coffee types or with wet AMD.
Why Might Instant Coffee Increase AMD Risk?
- Instant coffee is a highly processed food, which may contain compounds affecting the eyes differently than brewed coffee.
- Genetics might influence both a person’s coffee preference and their AMD risk through shared biological pathways.
- This study provides new ideas for personalized prevention, where people could change habits based on their genes to protect eye health.
Expert Opinions on the Study
- Dr. Siwei Liu, lead author, said understanding these links is important because there is no cure for AMD, and slowing its progress can improve quality of life.
- Optometrist Dr. David Geffen noted that while the study is interesting, more research is needed before advising people to avoid instant coffee. He said factors like the amount consumed and lifestyle differences must be considered.
- Ophthalmologist Dr. Benjamin Bert found the study fascinating because it highlights how food choices affect health and shows the future of medicine using genetic profiles to guide care. He warned that processed foods like instant coffee might be riskier than natural foods.
What This Means for You
- Instant coffee drinkers, especially those with a family history of AMD, may want to be cautious.
- Maintaining a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and limiting processed foods could help protect vision.
- More research is ongoing to confirm these findings and discover how diet and genetics interact in eye diseases.
Next Steps in Research
Researchers plan to:
- Test these findings in other groups of people.
- Study how instant coffee’s components might affect the eye.
- Follow people over time to see if changing coffee habits changes AMD risk.
This Breaking News study is an important step in understanding how our genes and diet together impact eye health. While instant coffee is linked to a higher risk of dry AMD, it is too soon to make strong health recommendations. People should focus on a balanced diet, healthy lifestyle, and regular eye check-ups to reduce the risk of vision loss.
