According to Chinese researchers, green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases.

The "catechins" in green tea, responsible for much of its strong anti-oxidant effect, pass from the stomach and gastrointestinal tract into the tissues of the eye and raise the possibility drinking green tea may help prevent eye diseases, said the study, published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Chi Pui Pang of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and colleagues analyzed the eye tissues of laboratory rats that drank green tea. They found the retina absorbed the highest levels of the catchin gallocatechin, while the aqueous humor tended to absorb another known as epigallocatechin.

The study further says, the effects of green tea catechins in reducing harmful oxidative stress in the eye lasted for up to 20 hours.

The study authors say in a statement," Our results indicate that green tea consumption could benefit the eye against oxidative stress." (With Input from Agencies)