NSAID Use Linked to Lower AMD Risk

By Dr. Kevin -


A retrospective cohort study published in Ophthalmology suggests that NSAIDs may reduce the risk
of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Because inflammation plays a central role in both wet (exudative) and dry (non-exudative) AMD, researchers in Taiwan investigated whether the anti-inflammatory properties of these drugs offer a protective effect.

Key Findings

The study compared 634,794 patients prescribed NSAIDs against an equal number of non-users (both groups averaging roughly 60 years old) and found:

  • Sustained Protection: NSAID users showed a reduced risk for AMD across all tracked time points, including at six months (HR: 0.31), one year (HR: 0.36), three years (HR: 0.42), and five years (HR: 0.48). Over the entire study duration, the overall hazard ratio was 0.58.

  • Drug Types: The protective effect was observed both in patients prescribed aspirin (HR: 0.72) and those taking non-selective COX inhibitors other than aspirin (HR: 0.41).

  • Subtypes & Comorbidities: Decreased risk applied to both non-exudative (HR: 0.56) and exudative (HR: 0.62) AMD. Furthermore, the risk reduction persisted even in patients with underlying health conditions like smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Note: The study authors noted that it remains unclear if the elevated systemic inflammation associated with these comorbidities makes the patient's eyes more responsive to inflammation-modifying agents like NSAIDs.

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