A nightly sleeping aid could be moonlighting as a guardian of your future sight.
Large US Study Findings Show Reduced Risk of AMD
Researchers analyzed data from the TriNetX database, a national network of electronic health records, that covered electronic medical records of more than 121,500 people ages 50 or older across the United States with no history of AMD. The participants had used melatonin medication in the period spanning November 2008 to November 2023.
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.
Expert Urges Caution in Interpreting Melatonin–AMD Link
The new study doesn’t definitively prove that melatonin is responsible for improved eye health, Dr. Khurram Chaudhary, vitreoretinal surgeon and director of retina service at Stony Brook Medicine, told The Epoch Times.
The researchers noted that melatonin users might generally have healthier lifestyles, which could contribute to reduced disease risk.
There Is Already a Supplement to Treat AMD
Previous research has identified a combination of nutrients linked to AMD prevention and symptom improvement.
Melatonin Shows Promise for Other Eye Conditions
A 2023 study published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy suggests that melatonin supplementation might significantly reduce the risk of cataracts by inhibiting UV light damage to the eye’s lens.
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 such as double vision, light sensitivity, fading or yellowing of colors, and difficulty seeing in low light.
