Being exposed to particular animals such as cats and cockroaches may increase a person’s risk of developing glaucoma, according to US researchers. However, contact with dogs could guard against the eye disease, the same study found. Researchers at the University of California reported that people diagnosed with glaucoma had ‘significantly’ higher levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), a type of allergic antibody produced by the body in response to cats and cockroaches. Researchers believe that their findings raise the possibility that the immune system plays a role in glaucoma.
During the study researchers analyzed data from 1,678 people, aged between 50–60 years, in a larger study. Participants were allergy tested for dust mites, cats, dogs, cockroaches and rodents. While 5.1% of participants were diagnosed with glaucoma, of those, 14.3% had significantly elevated levels of IgE to cats,…
