Aspirin may be detrimental to eye health, study shows

A daily intake of aspirin may cause senior adults to be at an increased risk of developing late stage macular degeneration compared to senior adults who never take aspirin according to a recent European study. The study involved 4,700 participants who were over the age of 65 and analyzed data concerning their health and lifestyle. Researchers discovered that of 839 participants who took aspirin daily, 36 had wet macular degeneration which translates to around 4 of every 100 daily aspirin users. Comparatively, only about 2 of every 100 people who took aspirin on an infrequent basis had wet macular degeneration. Researchers note that larger studies conducted over a longer period of time and which document aspirin intake will help to ascertain aspirin's role in macular degeneration. Meanwhile, doctors should caution their patients who take aspirin on a daily basis about the possible link but emphasize the benefits of taking aspirin for cardiovascular health outweighs the potential risk to their vision.* Elise Ervin Staff Writer