Regular consumption of tea could decrease the risk of glaucoma

Regular consumption of tea could prevent us from Glaucoma (image is downloaded from livestrong.com)

Glaucoma which is one of the most common eyes diseases happened in Indonesia. It is estimated that the cases are more than 150 thousand cases per year in Indonesia. Glaucoma is a blindness caused by the damages, created by the group of diseases and this group affects the optic nerve. So, it is like something is existed to prevent your eyes from light.

Several researches examined that one of the major cause of glaucoma is a fluid. This fluid is produced from the space called anterior chamber which flows in and out continuously affecting the nearby tissues. As the fluid flows out from the chamber, it creates an open angle where the cornea and iris joined. As a result, the gate is covered and it prevents the eye from the light. In worldwide, glaucoma currently becomes the major effect that can cause blindness, and currently affects 57.5 millions of people; it is predicted that the number increases into 65.5 million people by 2020.

Fortunately, recent study showed that glaucoma could be prevented in the early age. Based on the study that is published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology suggested that regular consumption of hot tea at least a cup a day may decrease the risk of developing serious eye condition, including glaucoma. Previous research states that caffeine influences the change of pressure in intraocular pressure. However, so far, there is no study that compares the potential impact of decaffeinated and caffeinated drinks on glaucoma risk. So, how did the researchers suggest that drinking of cup of tea daily could decrease the risk of developing glaucoma?

So, the research observed data from 2005-2006 owned by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (INHANES) in America. This is a nationally representative annual survey of around 10,000 people that includes interviews, physical examinations, and blood samples, designed to gauge the health and nutritional status of US adults and children. Current years included 1678 participants to be tested on their eyes, and 84 or 5 per cent of adults had developed glaucoma condition.

During interview, the participants are asked about how many cups of caffeinated and decaffeinated drinks in a day, over preceding 12 months, using a validate questionnaire. Compared to with those who did not drink hot tea every day, people who did, had a lower glaucoma risk. After taking account of potentially influential factors, such as diabetes and smoking, hot-tea-drinkers were 74 per cent less likely to have glaucoma. But, no such associations were found for coffee-caffeinated or decaffeinated-decaffeinated tea, iced tea or soft drinks.

Tea contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective chemicals, which have been associated with a lowered risk of serious conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.