Caffeine Metabolite Linked With Decreased Myopia Progression

Oral intake of caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine (7-MX) was linked with both decreased myopia progression and decreased axial elongation in children ages 7 to 15 in Denmark, reported the British Journal of Ophthalmology. 

Specifically, modeling suggested that, on average, an 11-year-old child using 1000  mg of 7-MX daily would develop −1.43 D of myopia over the next 6 years vs. −2.27 D if untreated, and that axial length would increase by 0.84  mm over 6 years when using 1000 mg of 7-MX daily vs. 1.01 mm if untreated. 

A total of 711 myopic children, who had a median age of 11.1 years, and were treated with varying doses of oral 7-MX (0 mg to 1200 mg per day) for roughly 3.6 years, comprised the study. 

The study’s researchers say randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether this association is causal.

Reference

1. Br J Ophthalmol. 2022 Aug 22;bjophthalmol-2021-320920.