A study led by scientists at the University of California at San Francisco finds that women who take birth control bills face a greater risk of developing glaucoma later in life. According to the study, cells in the eye have estrogen receptors and women who take birth control bills may reduce the protective levels of estrogen in the eye.
The study examined more than 3,400 women over the age of 40. The women who had taken birth control pills for more than three years were twice as likely to be diagnosed with glaucoma, a disease that slowly damages the optic nerve.
The authors note that although women who take birth control bills face a greater risk of developing glaucoma, there is no proof of what caused the increased risk. They urge additional research to determine if there is a direct connection or whether the increased risk is just a coincidence.