INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) -- Eye pain, headaches, and blurred vision. A few symptoms of glaucoma. The disease that causes pressure to build up behind the eye, progressively leading to vision loss and even blindness. It affects 80 million people worldwide.
A new U.K. study has uncovered something surprising: they found that participants with more good cholesterol actually had an increased risk of developing glaucoma. They were 10% more likely to develop the eye condition. While the people with higher levels of bad cholesterol have an eight percent reduced risk.
Future clinical trails are needed to confirm the findings, but medical professionals say knowing this possible link between cholesterol and glaucoma can help encourage earlier eye screenings.
You can reduce cholesterol through medications or diet changes, such as reducing saturated fats like red meat and increasing soluble fiber by incorporating more omega-3 foods like salmon and walnuts.
Medical professionals who have reviewed the study say to interpret the data's good vs bad cholesterol findings with caution, and consider that too much of anything -- good or bad -- should be avoided.