Regular use of aspirin can dramatically increase the risk of an eye disease — that causes blindness — in older people, researchers warn. A new study found a link between regular use of aspirin and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — the most common cause of sight loss in people over 50s.

Aspirin is one of the most widely used medications in the world and is commonly used in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) and ischemic stroke, according to a report published by JAMA Internal Medicine.

While a recent study suggested that regular aspirin use was associated with AMD, particularly the more visually devastating neovascular (wet) form, other studies have reported inconsistent findings. Smoking is also a preventable risk factor for AMD, researchers said.