There’s an antioxidant in coffee, chlorogenic acid, which (at least in mice) protected the retinal tissue. Oxidative stress, which can come from numerous sources (including lack of oxygen to your eyes, contact wearers), can cause tissue damage and loss of sight. Antioxidants fight oxidation, and apparently chlorogenic acid is particularly good at fighting that oxidation in your eyes.
On the other hand, caffeine, also in coffee, can raise your blood pressure, which can also negatively affect your eyesight (according to new healthcare laws, your eye doctor should be checking and reporting your blood pressure).
If you’re already a coffee drinker, yay you! You’re probably giving your eyes a little more protection. If you’re not, it’s probably not a reason to start drinking. If you’re really interested in chlorogenic acid, raw, or green coffee beans, have far less caffeine (but not 0).
If you want other ways to take care of your eyes, be sure to give them plenty of rest. Take contact breaks, screen breaks, and even consider doing eye exercises (yes, they exist!). If you ever have more goop than is normal or the sandman to leave, you might have a mild infection—consider colloidal silver, which was once the go-to for eye infections (and still is, in parts of the world).
Do you drink coffee? For the energy boost or the health benefits?
