08 Jun Caffeine Linked to Higher Risk of Glaucoma in Genetically Predisposed Patients

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Pasquale

Louis Pasquale, MD, FARVO
Professor of Ophthalmology
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Site Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology
Mt. Sinai Hospital and Vice Chair of Translational Ophthalmology Research
Mount Sinai Healthcare System 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Studies on the relation between caffeine intake and glaucoma have been contradictory, although our work suggested an adverse association amongst people with a self-reported family history of glaucoma.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: In this study where both dietary and genetic data were available, we find that high caffeine consumption was associated with higher eye pressure and higher risk of glaucoma, but this association was limited to people with highest genetic predisposition to higher intraocular pressure. 

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Currently, since we can not readily measure genetic predisposition to elevated eye pressure outside the environs of a study, we suggest that people with a family history of glaucoma limit coffee consumption (the most abundant source of dietary caffeine) to 2 cups a day.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: A randomized clinical trial of patients with various genetic predispositions to elevated eye pressure can be performed. In this study patients would be randomized to a caffeine tablet or placebo and eye pressure measured 1 hour after intervention.  Such a study could further validate our findings

Any disclosures?

This work was supported by the National
Eye Institute, a challenge grant from Research to Prevent Blindness in New York City and the New York Eye and Infirmary Foundation. There are no other relevant disclosures.

Citation:

Intraocular Pressure, Glaucoma, and Dietary Caffeine Consumption
Kim, Jihye et al.
Ophthalmology, Volume 128, Issue 6, 866 – 876

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Last Updated on June 8, 2021 by Marie Benz MD FAAD