What Causes It?
Proper nutrition is essential to eye health. According to the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, definitive proof of this came in the form of two large studies -- the original published in 2001 and the follow-up published in 2013 -- sponsored by the National Eye Institute, which studied the effects of antioxidant supplement treatment in more than 3,500 patients with macular degeneration over the period of a six-year study. Those who took the supplement were less likely to experience symptom progression and increased vision loss than those in the placebo group.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
According to the AMDF, this condition, which strikes more people than cataracts and glaucoma combined, is a progressive deterioration of the macula, a layer of the retina that controls the ability to focus central vision in the eye. The macula regulates our ability to perform many day to day functions, including the ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces and colors, and see details on the objects around us.
Dry macular degeneration, the most common form of the disease, is a slowly progressing illness that results from the breakdown or deterioration of the macula. There is another form of the illness, called wet macular degeneration, that results from abnormal blood vessel growth behind the retina, which can cause blood and fluid to leak into the area, interrupting the vision process.
This condition may affect one or both of the eyes. If only one eye is affected, the healthy eye may be able to compensate for the vision loss in its partner, and symptoms may be minimal or non-existent. However, in cases in which both eyes are affected, the Mayo Clinic outlines symptoms that may mean you have developed the condition and should schedule a visit with your doctor for testing:
- An increased need for higher levels of light when reading or working on something close to your face
- Difficulty with eyesight adjustment in low light levels, including dimly lit restaurants
- Increased difficulty reading printed words and blurriness of the words you’re trying to read
- Decreasing intensity or brightness of colors in the environment
- Increased difficulty recognizing faces
- Increased haziness in the center or our field of vision, crooked central vision or a blind spot in the center of our field of vision
- Patients with advanced cases have reported hallucinating geometric shapes and people
How Do Vitamins Help Lower My Risk?
Vitamin intake is not only a great way to help minimize your risk of developing macular degeneration (along with lifestyle changes that include regular exercise, smoking cessation and wearing regular eye protection against UV rays), but it is also the primary treatment prescribed to slow the progression of the disease once it has been diagnosed.
The National Eye Institute developed a specific vitamin cocktail recommended for patients who want to slow the progression of the disease and which may be helpful in preventing its onset. The five key vitamins recommended are:
Vitamin C
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), vitamin C is heavily concentrated in the eye's tissues and helps promote overall eye health. This vitamin isn’t just essential to helping reduce the risk and progression of macular degeneration; it also has been shown to reduce the risk for other eye conditions. One study that tracked women’s use of vitamin C over a 10-year period showed a 64 percent reduction in the risk of developing cataracts, while the National Eye Institute’s Age-Related Eye Disease Study showed a 25 percent reduction in the progression of age-related macular degeneration and a 19 percent reduction in visual acuity loss. Recommended daily intake for vitamin C is 500 milligrams (mg).
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been beneficial in reducing the risk for certain eye conditions and is thought to protect eye cells from the damage caused by unstable free radicals, according to the AOA. The National Eye Institute recommends 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E as a daily supplement.
Beta Carotene
Double down on your carrots for good eye health. Beta-carotene has long been known to be essential to eye health because the body converts it into vitamin A, or retinol, a substance that helps vision and aids in growth. Retinol is thought to protect the body against free radicals, like vitamin E. The daily recommended intake for this vitamin is 15 milligrams, but too much of it can be dangerous, especially for smokers.
Zinc
In test tube studies, zinc has been shown to help protect retinal cells, but this is a vitamin that should be taken in moderation. Getting the recommended daily dose of zinc for preventive measures (15 mg) is good for your eyes, but too much zinc can speed the aging process and affect your vision. Once you’ve been diagnosed with macular degeneration, the National Eye Institute recommends a daily intake of 80 mg.
Copper
Copper performs a number of invaluable functions in the body. This mineral acts as an antioxidant, which encourages the development of flexible connective tissue for proper eye structure, and because it helps protect the myelin sheath around the nerves, it preserves optic nerve function. This mineral is only needed in very small amounts, with a recommended daily intake of 2 mg.
According to the New York Times, a second AREDS study was conducted, called AREDS II, which is evaluating a second supplement that contains DHA, EPA, lutein and zeaxanthin, in addition to the vitamins outlined above. While the fatty acids were found to have no additional benefits, lutein and zeaxanthin were found to be safe and effective alternatives to beta-carotene.
Protect your vision and overall health by getting the nutrients your body needs to function optimally and stave off disease.