Your macula is a circular area of tissue on the back of your eye. The cells that help form the macula, called rods and cones, help transmit vision information. Cell damage may result in macular degeneration, an eye disease that can result in significant vision loss. Certain nutrients may play an important part in preventing macular degeneration. You may choose to talk with your doctor about the nutrients in foods, such as bananas, to determine a beneficial dietary plan.
AREDS
The National Eye Institute sponsored the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, also known as AREDS, and released its findings in 2001. Researchers determined that high doses of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc may reduce your risk of macular degeneration. These doses include 25,000 international units of vitamin A, 500 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU of vitamin E and 80 mg of zinc. The study also recommends 2 mg of copper to prevent a possible deficiency related to the high intake of zinc.
Bananas
Bananas contain a number of important nutrients for your general health. These include potassium and magnesium. In addition, bananas also include vitamins and minerals that may offer some protection against macular degeneration damage. Bananas contain vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. You will also find zinc and copper in bananas. Even though bananas contain these nutrients, they do not contain the amounts recommended by the National Eye Institute. In comparison, a medium banana contains 214 IU of vitamin A, 21 mg of vitamin C, 0.15 IU of vitamin E, 0.15 mg of zinc and 0.078 mg of copper. Bananas provide important nutrients for your eyes, but bananas alone will not provide you with enough of these nutrients to protect your eyes from macular degeneration.
Other Sources
Your doctor may recommend a daily supplement that contains the full amount of the AREDS recommendations. The AREDS formulation may not be appropriate for everyone, so your doctor may recommend a different supplement formulation. She may also recommend selecting a variety of nutritious foods to increase your intake of these important nutrients. These foods may include oranges, spinach, almonds and oysters. You may not reach the high dosage of the AREDS formulation, but your doctor will help you create a diet plan appropriate for your general health and the health of your eyes.
Considerations
Contact your doctor if you experience any changes in vision, such as straight lines appearing bent or blurred areas in your vision. If your doctor determines you have macular degeneration, he may recommend high doses of these nutrients to prevent further damage to your vision. You should not start taking the AREDS formulation or make dietary changes without first consulting your doctor about the nutrients and doses appropriate for you.
