Nutrition Effects
Ever since macular degeneration was identified as a disease of the retina, there have been ongoing debates among ophthalmologists, optometrists and researchers regarding the role of nutrition in protecting against the disease and possibly slowing its progress. The AREDS results support vitamin supplementation for those who already have AMD. But can diet and supplements prevent or slow it?
One aspect of AMD that makes credible scientific studies difficult is the fact that the disease, particularly the "dry" form, progresses slowly over a long period of time - years or even decades. When it is finally identified, the nutritional history of patients is indeed "history." How much can they remember about their diet 20 or 30 years earlier? How reliable is their memory? Researchers could track the diet of a certain segment of the general population for decades on the chance that a small percentage of this group will develop AMD. But this would be prohibitively expensive and would impose unwarranted burdens on the participants.
Despite this difficulty, a body of information on long-term eating habits has been accumulating, some of it coming from research not originally undertaken for AMD. For example, there are a number of long-term studies that have been tracking the health, lifestyles, and habits of tens of thousands of people in relation to the incidence of cardiovascular disease. When AMD shows up in these studies, the individual's dietary and nutritional habits over time may shed light on the origins and development of the disease in these specific cases. The AREDS I study took 10 years and resulted in the AREDS vitamin containing antioxidants and zinc. AREDS II is now underway, using the original AREDS formula plus variations using less zinc, adding lutein and zeaxanthin and fish oil (omega03).
Recent research, focused on changes in the retina, suggests that the progress of AMD could be slowed if patients were treated with appropriate dietary supplements. Since moderate intake of vitamins is not harmful, many physicians offer patients the option of taking them in case they may prove helpful. Others prescribe particular regimens to their patients and feel strongly about their potential.