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Hot tea, not coffee, associated with reduced risk for glaucoma
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Glaucoma was less common in daily drinkers of hot tea than in those who did not drink hot tea daily, according to a study.
A retrospective cross-sectional study of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data looked at food frequency questionnaires of 1,678 survey respondents to determine the prevalence of glaucoma in those who consumed various caffeinated and noncaffeinated beverages. Participants of the 2005-2006 NHANES were chosen for this study because they had undergone Humphrey perimetry testing and optic disc photographs.
Whereas no association was made between consumption of coffee, iced tea, decaffeinated tea or soft drinks, there was a 74% decreased chance of having glaucoma in participants who drank hot tea daily.
“In contrast to the protective association between hot tea and glaucoma, our study found no positive or negative association between coffee consumption and glaucomatous optic neuropathy,” the authors said.
The study was limited by its observational cross-sectional design and by the question parameters, which did not address tea types or overlapping beverage consumption, for example. – by Patricia Nale, ELS
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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Lisa M. Young, OD, FAAO
Whether you start your day with coffee or tea may potentially impact your risk for glaucoma.
Wu and colleagues found that the daily consumption of hot, caffeinated tea decreased risk of glaucomatous optic neuropathy by a staggering 74%, whereas an association couldn’t be made for the consumption of coffee, iced tea, decaffeinated tea or soft drinks.
Of course, this data doesn’t change our therapeutic or surgical management, but a conversation with our patients regarding drinking habits may be warranted, potentially followed by the suggestion for our glaucoma patients to swap tea for their morning coffee.
Although this cross-sectional study is not definitive, I plan on hedging my bets by offering hot, caffeinated tea instead of coffee to patients in our office.
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