Your macula is part of the retina, the thin layer of tissue that lines the back of your eye. If the cells of the macula start to break down, this may result in a condition known as macular degeneration. In most cases, treatment cannot reverse the damage caused by macular degeneration. As a result, prevention is a vital part of protecting your eyes from this vision-threatening condition. Certain nutrients, such as zinc and antioxidants, may help prevent damage.
Symptoms
In the early stage of the condition, you may find that your central vision becomes blurry. When you read, macular degeneration may cause a "smear" to appear in the center of the page. As damage progresses, the blurriness increases, and the blurred area may widen. In advanced macular degeneration, you may notice that lines look wavy and bent. For example, a light pole may appear bent in half.
AREDS
Zinc and other antioxidants will not restore vision lost to macular degeneration, but these nutrients may help slow down or prevent the disease. The National Eye Institute conducted a study in 2001 called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, also known as AREDS. Researchers evaluated a number of nutrients, among which were zinc and common antioxidants. Their results showed that when accompanied by high doses of additional vitamins and minerals, zinc may help reduce your chance of developing advanced macular degeneration by 25 percent. For the best protection, you need 80 mg of zinc each day.
Copper
The AREDS formulation recommends 2 mg of copper along with the other nutrients. Copper as such does not appear to play a role in reducing your risk for macular degeneration, but this supplement helps prevent copper deficiency that can result from high doses of zinc. Copper deficiency could lead to anemia and an increased risk for infection.
Dietary Sources
You may decide to increase your zinc and copper intake with food sources, since many foods can provide you with these important nutrients. Six oysters contain nearly 80 mg of zinc, and 3 oz. of cooked beef shank provide almost 9 mg of zinc. Other foods that contain zinc include crab, pork, fortified cereal and lobster, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Beef liver contains copper, with 1 oz. providing around 4 mg of copper, and one medium-sized oyster contains nearly half a milligram. Other copper-rich foods include clams, crab, cashews, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts, reports the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
Additional Nutrients
The ARED Study determined that, in addition to zinc, taking 400 International Units of vitamin E, 25,000 International Units of vitamin A and 500 mg of vitamin C provides significant protection against macular degeneration.
Supplements
You may decide to take a supplement to ensure that you are getting the appropriate amounts of copper, zinc and other nutrients to help prevent advanced macular degeneration. Many supplements state "AREDS formula" or a similar designation on the label. Discuss these supplements with your doctor before starting, since high doses of certain nutrients may interact with medications or impact various health conditions.
