Glaucoma : Alcohol Consumption and Smoking Increase Risk

A comprehensive retrospective cohort study conducted at three tertiary glaucoma centers in the USA has shown that alcohol consumption, particularly in men and individuals of African descent, is associated with an increased risk of developing glaucoma, while the risk of glaucoma development in smokers is influenced by age, with older individuals having a higher risk. This research, based on data from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study (DIGS) and the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES), sheds new light on the risk factors associated with this eye disease.

The study tracked 825 eyes belonging to 610 patients, all of whom were glaucoma suspects with normal visual fields (VF) at the outset. Over an average follow-up period of nine years, researchers identified patients who developed glaucoma, defined as having three consecutive abnormal VF tests.

One of the most striking findings was the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of developing glaucoma. Patients who consumed alcohol exhibited a 57% higher risk of developing the condition, a correlation that held even more prominently in men. In fact, the risk was nearly double for male alcohol drinkers. For individuals of African descent, the risk of developing glaucoma in alcohol drinkers was 79% higher compared to non-drinkers.

Age was also revealed as a significant modifier in the relationship between smoking and the development of glaucomatous VF defects. The study showed that older patients (aged over 61 years) who smoked had a 73% higher risk of developing glaucoma compared to those who had never smoked, even after adjusting for confounding factors.

Ref: Mahmoudinezhad G, Nishida T, Weinreb RN, et alAssociations of smoking and alcohol consumption with the development of open angle glaucoma: a retrospective cohort studyBMJ Open 2023;13:e072163. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072163