Scientists from the University of Sydney claim the goji berry might be effective in preventing 'diabetic retinopathy', which is vision loss resulting from diabetes. This condition occurs when glucose levels in the eye increase, thereby causing retina cells to die. It can also occur when blood vessels build up in the retina and grow over the vision spot.

For the study, which was published in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolism, researchers used cells exposed to high glucose to mimic diabetic retinopathy. These cells were then exposed to both pure taurine and the goji berry extract that had taurine in it. Both seemed to help in protecting the cells from dying.

Diabetic retinopathy is the No. 1 cause of blindness in adults in the U.S., according to the National Eye Institute. Statistics have found that people aged 40 and above with diabetes can sometimes develop retinopathy, which puts them at increased risk of going blind.