A nightly sleeping aid could be moonlighting as a guardian of your future sight. Melatonin exposure was defined as at least four recorded instances of use, each occurring at least three months apart. Specific dosages were not specified in the study.

AMD occurs when damage to blood vessels affects the center of the retina (macula). It comes in two forms: dry or early-stage AMD, involving retinal abnormalities or waste buildup, and wet or late-stage AMD, including death of retinal cells or abnormal blood vessel growth in the macula. Early AMD symptoms include blurred or distorted vision.

In advanced stages, central vision may be severely impaired. Among more than 65,000 participants who already had dry AMD, melatonin use was linked to a 56 percent reduced risk of the disease progressing to late-stage (wet) AMD. These benefits were consistent across all age groups, suggesting melatonin’s potential protective effects even in older, high-risk populations.

The researchers noted that melatonin users might generally have healthier lifestyles, which could contribute to reduced disease risk. Cataracts, cloudy areas in the eye’s lens, are the leading cause of reversible blindness worldwide. This age-related condition reduces vision sharpness and causes symptoms like double vision, light sensitivity, fading or yellowing of colors, and difficulty seeing in low light.

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