Women who take the contraceptive pill for more than three years are twice as likely to suffer from glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, a study has found.
The hormone oestrogen, a crucial component of oral contraceptives, could play a role in the development of the condition which causes irreversible damage to the optic nerve, scientists said.
Long-term users of the Pill should be routinely screened for glaucoma and monitored regularly by eye doctors for any changes in their condition, they claimed.
Glaucoma is caused when fluid pressure builds up in the eye and the most common, chronic form of the disease affects about 480,000 people in England.
The contraceptive pill has previously been linked to a host of eye conditions, with some studies suggesting oestrogen could play a role in the development of glaucoma.
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Eddie
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