Common diabetes drugs may slow age-related progression vision lossaccording to a new study.
Diabetics over the age of 55 who took metformin, the most commonly prescribed prescription drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, were 37% less likely to develop intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) over five years than those who did not take it.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool used photos of the eyes of 2,000 people who underwent regular check-ups for diabetic eye disease over a five-year period.
Nearly 90% of Americans are at risk for silent diseases – here’s what you need to know
They then assessed whether the photo showed AMD and the severity of each case, before comparing the differences between people taking metformin and those not taking it, according to a press release.
They also adjusted for factors that could skew the results, such as age, gender, and duration of diabetes.
Popular weight loss drug linked to sudden vision loss
Nick Bear, an ophthalmologist at the University of Liverpool in the UK who led the study, said: “Most people who suffer from AMD are untreated, so this is a major advance in the search for new treatments.”
“What we need to do now is test metformin as a treatment for AMD. clinical trial. “Metformin has the potential to save the eyesight of many people,” he added.
Although the results are promising, the researchers noted that the study was observational, meaning that while it shows a link between the drug and eye health, it does not prove that metformin was directly responsible for the improvement.
Test yourself with our latest lifestyle quiz
This study focused only on: person with diabetes. It is unclear whether this drug has the same effect on people without the disease.
For more health stories, click here
Additionally, the researchers did not have data on the specific doses of metformin patients took or how closely they followed their prescriptions.
Metformin is a low-cost, off-patent drug that is already widely used to manage blood sugar levels, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Click here to sign up for our health newsletter
Scientists believe its anti-inflammatory properties. anti-aging Properties may help protect the retina.
The Mayo Clinic says that while metformin is generally safe, it can cause gastrointestinal side effects and vitamin B12 deficiency in some patients.
