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  • Effects of Alcohol on IOP and Glaucoma

    By Lynda Seminara
    Selected by Russell N. Van Gelder, MD, PhD
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    Journal Highlights

    Ophthalmology, June 2022

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    The acute effects of alcohol on human eyes include a transient, seemingly dose-dependent reduction of IOP and an increase in blood flow to the optic nerve head, which theoretically may protect against glaucoma. However, heavy use of alcohol is linked to neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders as well as systemic biochemical and physiologic changes, which could play a role in glaucoma development. Moreover, epidemiologic studies have found that alcohol use raises the risk of ocular hyperten­sion. To better understand the relationship, Stuart et al. conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of alcohol’s effect on glaucoma. Their findings suggest a link between open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and any degree of alcohol consumption.

    The authors searched PubMed, Em­base, and Scopus for relevant case-con­trol, cross-sectional, and cohort studies that included a quantitative effect estimate and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the relationship between alco­hol use and either IOP or OAG. They qualitatively summarized the evidence for any associations detected, and they pooled the effect estimates for alcohol/OAG associations using random effects meta-analysis. Evidence certainty was assessed with GRADE framework.

    All told, 34 studies qualified for the systematic review. Of these, 10 demonstrated an association between habitual alcohol use and high IOP as well as ocular hypertension (IOP >21 mm Hg), but the absolute effect sizes were small. Eleven studies (representing 173,058 participants) of the relation­ship between alcohol and OAG met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The pooled effect estimate (1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.36) showed a link between any use of alcohol and OAG (p = 0.03). The overall GRADE certainty of evidence was very low.

    Although the results suggest that alcohol use is linked to OAG, the authors recommend interpreting their findings with caution, given the hetero­geneity of the evidence base, the small absolute effect size, and the minimal statistical significance.

    The original article can be found here.