Many eye diseases can affect your vision, and macular degeneration is a common condition that can lead to blindness. This disease damages the cells, called rods and cones, which make up your macula, an area on the back of your eye. The cells work with the rest of your eye to give straight-ahead vision. Antioxidants play a vital role in preventing this disease, and knowing the foods and beverages that contain these nutrients may help you avoid macular degeneration.
Effects
In early stages of macular degeneration, the disease may cause blurred areas, and some people refer to these spots as "smudges" in their vision. The changes typically occur in the central vision, the straight-ahead vision you use for your day-to-day activities such as reading and facial recognition. Advanced damage from macular degeneration can result in full loss of central vision, leaving only peripheral vision.
Coffee
Over the years, coffee has had to overcome negative studies that indicated an increased risk in heart disease and other health problems. These studies did not include additional factors, such as the greater likelihood for coffee drinkers to also smoke and live a sedentary lifestyle, says Dr. Donald Hensrud for MayoClinic.com. However, coffee contains some antioxidants, such as small amounts of vitamin E and zinc. The antioxidant content may vary between brands and types of coffee, but even small amounts of these antioxidants could have some potential effect on preventing macular degeneration.
Studies
In 2001, the University of Wisconsin Medical School released the findings from a study that evaluated the effects of coffee on maculopathy, a general term for macular diseases. The study did not indicate a relationship between coffee and caffeine and conditions that affect the macular tissue.
Another study released in 2001, called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, evaluated antioxidants in relation to macular degeneration. Researchers for the National Eye Institute determined that high doses of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C and zinc could help reduce advanced macular degeneration by 25 percent.
Considerations
Coffee does not have a known connection to preventing macular degeneration, but in theory, the antioxidants in coffee could offer some protection against this eye disease. If you have risk factors for macular degeneration, talk with your doctor about antioxidants and the best sources of these nutrients.
References
- "National Eye Institute"; Facts About Age-Related Macular Degeneration; September 2009
- "MayoClinic"; Coffee and Health: What Does the Research Say?; Donald Hensrud, M.D.; May 2010
- "American Journal of Ophthalmology"; The Relation of Coffee and Caffeine to the 5-Year Incidence of Early Age-Related Maculopathy: The Beaver Dam Eye Study; S.C. Tomany, et al.; August 2001
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Comparison of the Antioxidant Activity of Commonly Consumed Polyphenolic Beverages (Coffee, Cocoa, and Tea) Prepared Per Cup Serving; M. Richelle, et al.; July 2001
- National Eye Institute: The AREDS Formulation and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory; Coffee, Brewed From Grounds, Prepared With Tap Water
