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A new study published in the American Academy of Ophthalmology has shown that increases in caffeine within your diet can increase tear production and as such improve the symptoms of dry eye syndrome.
Now I for one, don't have all that many vices. A constant check on the weekends football results followed by the occasional drop of amber nectar is something that would barely register on most people's list of interests, but a fairly recent obsession with coffee is something that has led me to becoming somewhat of a connoisseur of the caffeine based product. Since trips to New York a few years ago, my relationship with coffee has seen me drinking a volume of the drink probably deemed 'inappropriate' on a daily basis. However, if ever there was a reason to ignore media advice and lean more heavily towards by bean based friend, it is the news that the drug caffeine, which is an important part can actually have an effect on the eyes in a positive way. As a graphic/web designer/blogger, the fact I can state that it is 'for the good of my work' is an added bonus as the links between dry eye syndrome and prolonged periods of staring at a computer screen are well documented.
The study doesn't just focus on one particular drink such as coffee, but any range of products that contain the stimulant caffeine, including energy drinks, cola drinks and a number of other food and drink related items. Although results are different from person to person, the news does not come as an enormous surprise as it is already well documented that the drug has similar effects on other bodily fluid production such as saliva.
Research on the effects of caffeine on tear production were conducted at the University of Tokyo's School of Medicine where suffers were given combinations of the drug and placebos.
Dry eye syndrome occurs in part due to a lack of tears in the eye or a decrease in tear volume production. Generally this can occur with age, with those over 50 particularly susceptible.