Although oral contraceptives have been around for decades, scientists have just uncovered an unexpected complication. A study of more than 3,400 American women over 40 found that those who had taken birth control pills for at least three years had double the risk of developing glaucoma later in life.
Glaucoma, which is associated with high pressure inside the eye, can lead to blindness if untreated. The investigators urged women with a history of taking birth control pills for three years or longer to be screened for eye pressure.
[American Academy of Ophthalmology, New Orleans, Nov. 18, 2013]
