Drinking six glasses of wine a week can be beneficial for eye health, the Independent reported on March 31, citing a study by the University of London Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Ophthalmology Hospital.
In the course of the study, medical histories of more than 490 thousand people were studied. They told the doctors about their health, lifestyle and habits.
Among those who drink wine at least five times a week, the likelihood of developing cataracts is reduced by 23%, experts said. In addition, the risk of developing the disease is lower among those who drank wine compared to those who drank beer or alcoholic beverages.
As noted by one of the authors of the scientific work, Dr. Sharon Chua, the discovered connection is due to the antioxidants present in wine.
“The development of cataracts can be the result of gradual damage from oxidative stress during aging. The fact that the results were particularly evident in wine drinkers may be indicative of the protective role of polyphenolic antioxidants, which are especially abundant in red wine, ”she said.
According to Dr. Anthony Khawaja, who led the study, the results of the work confirm the direct role of alcohol in the development of cataracts. However, further research is needed, he added.
Cataracts are cloudy spots that appear on the lens of the eye and can impair vision. Most often, the disease occurs in the elderly. Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure in the UK.
In November 2020, narcologist Ruslan Isaev said that the emerging data on the benefits of red wine in the fight against coronavirus has not been confirmed by serious research. This information is of an isolated nature, the specialist noted.