Aspirin is known as a favorite remedy for those who have heart disease and other cardiovascular. But a new study that the use of aspirin for a long time, or more than 10 years can be fatal to your eyes. Called fatal because it increases the risk of blindness that relate to age, called macular degeneration.
"What is the function of aspirin in preventing the risk of death from heart disease is comparable with macular degeneration?" Says lead researcher Dr. Barbara Klein, from the University's School of Medicine and Public Health, USA.
Although this study refers to the side effects of aspirin can increase the risk of blindness, but that does not mean people should not consume aspirin.
The study, published in December in the Journal of the American Medical Association is taking the data from as many as nearly 5,000 men and women. The participants examined her for 5 years for a period of 20 years, and they asked about his take aspirin.
After 15 years, it turns out as many as 512 people had macular degeneration faster. And they are regularly taking aspirin. While there are 117 people who have macular degeneration longer, which is not a regularly take aspirin. So the researchers concluded that consumption of aspirin for more than 10 years can increase the risk of macular degeneration as much as 200% faster.
The results of this study suggest an association between the consumption of macular denegeration aspirin for a long time, but has not shown a causal relationship.
Klein noted that the biological mechanism of this association is not known, but at least these results can be the basis for the importance of alternatives to protect people from heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles found, too soon to say aspirin may be bad for your eyesight. Samples were made in this study are random and not based on clinical trials. But it never hurts to be cautious.
"Consumption of aspirin in small doses and therapeutic healing of heart disease may be a middle ground," he said.