Substances found in green tea work their way into the tissues of the eye and could protect against common eye diseases like glaucoma, researchers say.
The findings, published in the current issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, suggest that the substances, known as catechins, are absorbed by the lens, retina and other parts of the eye. Catechins are antioxidants thought to protect the body against damage from oxygen.
The study authors gave green tea to rats and then tested their eyes to see if catechins affected them. They did, reducing oxidative stress in the eye for up to 20 hours.
Editor’s Note: See more related information on nutrition and glaucoma.
