Here’s yet another reason to be cautious about jumping on the ASA bandwagon. A study has linked the regular use of ASA with a higher risk of age-related macular degeneration or AMD, a very debilitating form of eye disease in which the central part of the retina, the macula, is gradually destroyed, which leads to progressive inability to see.
In this European study, people who took ASA regularly had roughly double the risk of “wet” AMD, the most serious form of the condition, compared to people who weren’t taking ASA.
Now, for many people, the benefits of taking ASA may – probably do – still outweigh the risks, but the key thing to remember is that there is no formula for this and the best thing to do (it should be mandatory, I think) is that anyone taking ASA regularly sit down and have a good discussion with their primary care doctor about the balance between the risks and benefits of ASA for their particular unique situation.
