Key Takeaways
'Good' HDL cholesterol might increase risk of glaucoma in people over 55
At the same time, 'bad' LDL cholesterol and triglycerides might lower risk
It69传媒檚 not yet clear why the different types of cholesterol would affect glaucoma risk
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- The cholesterol that69传媒檚 good for your heart health might be bad for your eye health, and vice versa, a new study says.
69传媒淕ood69传媒 HDL cholesterol appears to increase risk of in people older than 55, researchers reported Feb. 4 in the .
Conversely, 69传媒渂ad69传媒 LDL cholesterol might be associated with a lower risk of glaucoma, researchers report.
69传媒淗DL cholesterol has been regarded as the 69传媒榞ood cholesterol69传媒 for seven decades. However, this study demonstrates that high levels of HDL cholesterol are not consistently associated with a favorable prognostic outcome,69传媒 concluded the research team led by senior investigator , an associate professor with the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdon, China.
LDL cholesterol contributes to plaque build-up in the arteries, which can eventually lead to heart disease, heart attack or stroke, according to the .
On the other hand, HDL cholesterol helps heart health by carrying some LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where the LDL cholesterol is broken down and excreted, the AHA says.
Abnormally high levels of fats in the bloodstream have previously been linked to eye conditions like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, researchers said in background notes.
But findings related to glaucoma have been inconsistent. Glaucoma causes fluid to build up within the eye, with the increasing pressure damaging the optic nerve.
For this study, researchers analyzed data on more than 400,000 participants in the long-range UK Biobank health research project. All participants had their blood fat levels tested and their health tracked for an average of 14 years.
Nearly 2% of the participants developed glaucoma during follow-up, and they tended to have higher HDL and lower LDL cholesterol, researchers said.
Analysis revealed that people with the highest level of 69传媒済ood69传媒 HDL cholesterol were 10% more likely to develop glaucoma than those with the lowest levels.
At the same time, those with the highest levels of 69传媒渂ad69传媒 LDL cholesterol were 8% less likely to develop glaucoma than people with the lowest levels.
The highest levels of another type of blood fat, triglycerides, also were associated with 14% lower risk of glaucoma, researchers found.
And as levels of each type of fat increased in the blood, they either raised or lowered glaucoma risk.
It69传媒檚 not yet clear why the different types of cholesterol would affect glaucoma risk, researchers said.
However, these associations only persisted among people older than 55.
69传媒淭hese findings challenge existing paradigms about 69传媒榞ood69传媒 and 69传媒榖ad69传媒 cholesterol in relation to eye health,69传媒 researchers concluded.
If follow-up studies validate these results, then doctors might need to reassess the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs in patients at risk for glaucoma, the researchers added.
More information
The American Academy of Ophthalmology has more on .
SOURCE: British Journal of Ophthalmology, news release, Feb. 4, 2025
What This Means For You
People should discuss their cholesterol levels with their doctor, and how they might affect their heart and eye health.
