No, this isn’t about that old expression about being “blind drunk” or about “beer goggles”. No, a group of Australian scientists have linked heavy drinking to increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD is when sight in the center of the visual field fades, and “heavy drinking” is defined as more than four alcoholic drinks per day. Beer was cited in particular.

The Daily Telegraph: Four beers a day can make you blind

Smoking and genetics have been linked to the condition but Dr Elaine Chong from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital decided to study the diet and eye health of almost 7000 people over a period of time to determine the contribution of alcohol.

“We found that higher levels of alcohol, more than four standard drinks a day, was associated with a three-fold increase in end-stage AMD in men,” Dr Chong said.

Beer drinking, in particular, carried a six-fold increased risk. Quantities of wine and spirits drunk were too low to evaluate their risk.

The same link was not see [sic] in women, possibly because they were less likely to drink heavily, she said.

No mention of beer’s benefits, of course. Not that I’m suggesting that it’s a health drink. Something else to look forward to in my twilight years. Not that I’m that heavy a drinker, though.

As with all things: moderation.