Will taking aspirin make my wet AMD worse?
A new study published in Ophthalmology says no.
The study reviewed the medical data of over 400,000 patients from 2010-2015 to determine if low-dose aspirin (less than 100mg) had any effect on the incidence of wet AMD.
What did they find?
The authors state this large-scale study suggests that regular, long-term use of low-dose aspirin appears to be safe with respect to the new development of wet AMD.
Wasn’t there a study that contradicts that?
Yes, there were three actually. The Blue Mountain Eye Study (published in JAMA Intern Med. in 2013), the Beaver Dam Eye Study (published in Ophthalmology in 2012) and the European Eye Study all showed some evidence that aspirin use was associated with AMD advancement. However, these studies were not without limitations. Here is a nice rundown on the debate.
The take home:
The results are conflicting and the consensus of most doctors is that there is well-documented evidence that low dose aspirin has cardiovascular benefits and limited evidence that it worsens AMD. Patients should talk with their doctor before discontinuing treatment.
