Apr 2, 2009 8:17 pm US/Eastern
Go! New York Health: Macular Degeneration
How Your Diet Can Help Keep Your Vision On Point
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
We all know how important fruits and vegetables are to your overall health, but you may not know their importance to your vision.
Age-ralted macular degeneration is a major cause of blindness. Almost 10 percent of patients between the ages of 66 and 74 have the beginning signs of the illness. While there is no treatment to reverse it, a new study says what you eat could stop it from getting worse.
Charlotte Solomon is patient battling macular degeneration
"I take vitamins everyday, I go to the doctor once a month and get an injection into my eye," she tells CBS 2 HD.
She also pays close attention to her diet to prevent further vision problems.
"I eat certain things that give me lutein and give me different vitamins that are necessary to keep the retina strong," she says.
Doctors say the symptoms are very important because early diagnosis is critical.
Age-related macular degeneration is also called "AMD." Symptoms include blurriness in the central field of vision, and difficulty recognizing faces.
Studies show diet plays a big role in slowing progression of the illness. Leafy green vegetables are a top source of retina-boosting vitamins like lutein.
"A low fat diet [is important] because to some extent, macular degeneration is related to the hardening of the arteries and so having a low cholesterol and a healthy diet with exercise is going to be helpful," says Dr. Larry Halperin, opthamalogist
Doctors also say don't smoke, and take vitamins, especially vitamin C, E, beta carotene, and 50 milligrams of zinc daily.
Remember, color is key to a healthy vision diet.
Oranges, carrots, mangoes, cantaloupe are going to be rich in powerful antioxidants.
Nutritionist Lenore Nolan Ryan says the brighter the better.
"By eating grapes and eggplants and plums and some cabbage you are going to make sure that you get plenty of that lutein which is actully going to support your vision," she says.
A clinical trial out of the National Institute of Health showed a high dosage of beta carotene, vitamin, C, E, and zinc reduces the risk of macular degeneration progressing from early to late stage by 25 percent.
A follow up study is underway to look at the benefits of lutein, xanthine, and fish oil.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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