Glaucoma is a progressive condition that can lead to blindness in some people and affects 80 million people worldwide.
Eye pain, headaches, and blurred vision are a few of the symptoms.
The disease causes pressure to build up behind the eye, progressively leading to vision loss and even blindness.
Researchers are still learning why some get the disease and some don’t. There’s a new clue that may surprise you.
“We know that age is a risk factor for many chronic medical conditions (including glaucoma),” said Dr. Anandita Agarwala Kulkarni, an internal medicine & cardiovascular disease physician at Baylor Scott & White.
But a new U.K. study has uncovered something surprising. They found that participants with higher good cholesterol actually had an increased risk of developing glaucoma.
They were 10% more likely to develop the eye condition. While the people with higher levels of bad cholesterol have an 8% reduced risk.
“Once the damage happens, it’s irreversible,” Dr. Meghal Gagrani, a pediatric ophthalmologist at the University of Pittsburgh, told Ivanhoe.
Future clinical trials are needed to confirm the findings, but medical professionals say knowing this possible link between cholesterol and glaucoma can help encourage earlier eye screenings.
“I think anybody with a family history of glaucoma should definitely get an annual exam and get worked up for glaucoma. And anybody over the age of 40 years old should get an annual eye exam done by an ophthalmologist,” Gagrani said.
You can reduce cholesterol through medications or diet changes, such as reducing saturated fats like red meat and increasing soluble fiber by incorporating more omega-3 foods like salmon and walnuts.
“It’s important to eat healthy and stay physically and mentally active,” said Kulkarni.
Medical professionals who have reviewed the study say to interpret the data’s good vs. bad cholesterol findings with caution. And consider that too much of anything — good or bad — should be avoided.