Daily cup of coffee good for eyes

Researchers have said that one cup of coffee could help prevent deteriorating eyesight and possible blindness from retinal degeneration due to glaucoma, aging and diabetes.

Raw coffee is, on average, just 1 per cent caffeine, but it contains 7 to 9 per cent chlorogenic acid, a strong antioxidant that prevents retinal degeneration in mice, according to the Cornell study.

The retina is a thin tissue layer on the inside, back wall of the eye with millions of light-sensitive cells and other nerve cells that receive and organize visual information.

It is also one of the most metabolically active tissues, demanding high levels of oxygen and making it prone to oxidative stress. The lack of oxygen and production of free radicals leads to tissue damage and loss of sight.

Chang Y. Lee, professor of food science and the study's senior author, said coffee is the most popular drink in the world, and we are understanding what benefit we can get from that.

The study has been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.