Alcohol consumption and risk of age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy progression

A group of researchers examined the potential relationships between alcohol consumption and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression, including progression to late AMD and geographic atrophy (GA) enlargement rate.
Using post hoc analysis of cohorts within the Age-Related Eye Diseases Study 2, the study included a total of 6,670 eyes (of 3,673 participants) with no late AMD at baseline; 1,143 eyes (of 841 participants) with GA at ≥2 consecutive visits. Colour fundus photographs were collected at annual study visits and graded centrally for late AMD, GA area, and GA proximity. Alcohol consumption was calculated by food frequency questionnaire. Regression analyses of disease progression were performed according to alcohol consumption.
Over a mean follow-up of 4.5 years, 40.2% of eyes progressed to late AMD. In men, with alcohol tertile 1 (no regular consumption) as reference, hazard ratios for progression to late AMD were 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.87; P = 0.0015) for tertile 2 and 0.85 (0.71-1.02; P = 0.079) for tertile 3. In women, hazard ratios were 1.12 (0.95-1.31, P = 0.17) and 0.85 (0.72-1.00, P = 0.046), respectively. Over a mean follow-up of 3.1 years, GA area-based progression was significantly faster in women than men, at 0.295 (95% CI, 0.278-0.311) and 0.260 mm/year (95% CI, 0.241-0.279), respectively. In men, area-based progression differed significantly by alcohol tertile, at 0.275 (95% CI, 0.248-0.303), 0.183 (95% CI, 0.143-0.223), and 0.280 mm/year (0.254-0.306) in tertiles 1 to 3, respectively. In women, the area-based rate did not differ significantly by alcohol tertile. In men only, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-defined heavy drinking was associated with faster progression, at 0.306 (95% CI, 0.262-0.349) versus 0.252 mm/year (95% CI, 0.233-0.270). In 808 eyes with noncentral GA, GA proximity-based progression did not differ significantly by alcohol tertile.
Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with decreased risk of progression to late AMD in men. Geographic atrophy progression is faster in women, but its relationship with alcohol consumption is much stronger in men. In men, moderate consumption is associated with slower GA progression and higher consumption with faster progression. The authors state that, although some of these associations may also relate to confounding, they might suggest that individuals with GA should avoid high alcohol consumption.
Source: Duic C, Vance E, Agrón E, Keenan TDL; AREDS2 Research Group. Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Geographic Atrophy Progression: Age-Related Eye Diseases Study 2 Report 34. Ophthalmol Retina. 2025 Mar;9(3):200-211.