Daylight saving time linked to retinal disease risk

A study from Northwestern University, published in Scientific Reports, found that the spring transition to daylight saving time is associated with a 20-30% higher risk of developing retinal vascular diseases such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy and neovascular age-related macular degeneration in the following month. Conversely, the fall transition back to standard time is linked to a 20-40% lower risk. The study analyzed health insurance claims data from over 18 million patients aged 18-64 between 2012 and 2014. The findings come as the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure to make daylight saving time permanent, though its fate in the Senate is uncertain. The researchers suggest that sleep loss and circadian disruption may trigger inflammatory responses affecting retinal blood vessels.