Coffee may be good for your eyes, study suggests

Chlorogenic acid, a powerful antioxidant found in coffee, has been shown to prevent age-related retinal degeneration in mice, and scientists say it may also play a role in preventing age-related eye diseases.

A coffee a day could help keep eye diseases at bay, according to a joint study out of South Korea and the U.S., which concluded that powerful antioxidants found in coffee can play a role in preventing age-related eye diseases and the degeneration of eyesight.
 
For their research, scientists looked at the impact of chlorogenic acid or CLA, a strong antioxidant that has been shown to prevent retinal degeneration in mice. Those that were pretreated with CLA developed no sign of retinal damage.
 
The retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues, and requires high levels of oxygen. Without it, the tissue is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress and prone to the production of free radicals, which leads to tissue damage and loss of sight.

However, it’s not yet known whether drinking coffee delivers CLA directly to the retina, researchers stress. Future studies could lead to the development of a special brew customised for retinal support, or CLA delivery via eye drops.
 
To read more, click here.