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Low Vitamin D Might Be Risk Factor for Glaucoma

April 2014 — Low blood levels of vitamin D could increase your risk of glaucoma, according to a new study.
Woman getting her vitamin D by reclining in the sun.
Spending some time in the sun is the best way to boost your blood levels of vitamin D — and possibly decrease your risk of glaucoma.

In research published this month in Public Health Nutrition, investigators examined the relationship between five categories of serum vitamin D levels and the prevalence of open-angle glaucoma among 6,094 adults in South Korea.

The odds ratio of having glaucoma among study participants comprising the group with the lowest vitamin D levels was significantly higher than that for those with more robust vitamin D levels.

The researchers also found that predictors for worsening of open-angle glaucoma — such as high eye pressure and changes in appearance of the optic nerve — had a significant relationship with low serum vitamin D levels.

The study authors concluded that vitamin D deficiency should be considered a potential risk factor for the development of open-angle glaucoma.