More Research on Aspirin and Macular Degeneration

January 10, 2012

Aspirin is a super/wonder drug. But the January 2012 issue of Ophthalmology reported on a large European study linking daily aspirin use to increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Researchers found that people aged 65 and older who took aspirin daily had double the risk of developing wet AMD, compared with those who took it less frequently.

This is the second article I have seen lately which suggests that aspirin is associated not only with wet macular degeneration, but even the dry type (which is hard for me to understand). And the more aspirin one takes, the higher the risk. It’s probably moot, as no one is going to risk a heart attack or stroke by stopping aspirin to avoid the risk of macular degeneration

 

 



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4 Responses to “More Research on Aspirin and Macular Degeneration”

  • ari

    the benefits of aspirin (reduced risk of stroke/heart attack) almost always outweighs the risk (bleeding in stomache/bleeding in macular degeneration). bleeding in macuar degeneration from aspirin is possible but very, very uncommon. i would never deny myself the benefit of aspirin over this very small risk.

  • Eileen Narwid

    I see a definite link between taking aspirin and wet Macular Degeneration. My Mom who is now 96 developed WMD after being on a low dosage aspirin theraphy for only several months. She saw several specialists (incident occurred in 1994-95) nothing was done as far as treatment except I told her to stop taking aspirin.Her vision is permanetly damaged but the bleeding stopped and her vision did not worsen after she stopped taking aspirin. At her last eye exam I was told her eyes are dry and show no sign of bleeding. I see a definite link but over the years I’ve mentioned it to several medical professional and just get a very skeptical response.Maybe we shouldn”t be so quick to prescribe drugs -as a results my Mom has been legally blind for 17 yrs. and that’s a tragedy!!

  • ari

    but this is the second one i read that suggested this.

  • mike bense

    Don’t believe a word of it! Another silly study going nowhere.