A US study has shown that metformin, a drug widely used to treat type 2 diabetes, may reduce the risk of developing the most serious form of age-related macular degeneration.
As part of their research on this drug, scientists at the University of Chicago studied 22,205 newly diagnosed cases of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and compared them with data from 22,126 healthy individuals. The analysis of the data showed a clear link between taking the drug and reducing the risk of developing the disease.
Further analysis also indicated that the protective effect of the drug was more pronounced when taken at moderate cumulative doses, and the same positive effect was observed in diabetic patients, with those taking metformin being less likely to develop the disease.
Scientists noted that age-related macular degeneration remains one of the most serious eye diseases that cause vision loss with age, and that metformin is widely available, affordable, and has relatively low side effects, so it could be a promising option to help prevent or slow the progression of this disease, although more studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness in this area.
