The tissue that lines the inside of the eye, called the retina, contains an area responsible for your central vision. This area of the retina is the macula. If you have damage to your macular tissues, you may experience changes in vision. This condition, macular degeneration, doesn't have a treatment to repair damage, so most vision changes are permanent. However, nutrition may play an important role in preventing macular degeneration.
Types of Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration can occur as the dry or wet macular degeneration. Dry macular degeneration occurs when the cells in your macula break down. Early changes may not result in severe vision loss, but as the condition worsens, you have a blurred area in your central vision. This will likely affect reading, watching television and the way you recognize faces of your friends and loved ones. Wet macular degeneration results when abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula. These fragile vessels may break, leaking fluid. This lifts the macula out of position, often resulting in sudden vision changes. Many people with wet macular degeneration see a straight object as bent or wavy.
Prevention
Treatment doesn't typically restore lost or damaged vision that results from macular degeneration. As such, prevention plays a key role in maintaining the best possible vision. In 2001, the National Eye Institute released information from a study called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, or ARED study, that showed the benefits of certain nutrients in preventing macular degeneration. These nutrients include vitamin C, A and E, zinc and copper. Before adding these nutrients to your diet or the supplements you take, consult your doctor to help determine whether you should make dietary changes or add vitamin supplements to your medication schedule.
Diet
Lutein- and zeaxanthin-rich foods include most dark, leafy green vegetables. These foods include spinach, kale, turnip greens and collard greens. Citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, contain vitamin C. Other foods with vitamin C include apples, bananas and spinach. Vitamin E foods include almonds, sunflower seeds and peanuts. Select spinach, carrots and kale to add vitamin A to your diet. Foods such as eggs, salmon, beef and pork contain beneficial amounts of zinc. Sesame seeds, cashews, barley and garbanzo beans contain copper.
Supplements
The findings of the ARED study prompted vitamin manufacturers to create "eye vitamins" that contain the amounts of each vitamin evaluated in the study. These supplements typically state "AREDS formulation" on the outside packaging. Some packaging may say that the vitamins promote eye health, but this doesn't necessarily indicate that the supplement contains the studied dosages. Talk with your pharmacist to help you find the right supplement.
Considerations
Talk with your doctor before you make significant changes to your diet or supplement use. Certain nutrients may interact with some medications, which may result in serious complications. The vitamin K found in many dark green, leafy vegetables, for example, may intensify the effects of blood thinners, such as Coumadin and warfarin. Your health care provider can work with you on the way to increase your intake of these foods while protecting your overall health.
