Presents a question and answer segment on nutrients which can be
used to alleviate vision problems caused by macular degeneration. Types
of nutrients which can be used to slow vision deterioration caused by
macular degeneration; Methods which can be used to prevent the cause of
various diseases.
By
PT Staff, published on July 01, 1998
Q: My mother is widowed and until this year was always very
independent andvital. However, she now suffers from macular degeneration
which has caused damage to her vision. It has been increasingly difficult
for her to see clearly, to drive, or to read. Her doctor says there is no
treatment for this. Needless to say, she's afraid she'll lose her
mobility, and for the first time in her life, she feels deeply depressed.
Can any nutrients help?
A: Absolutely. A growing body of research suggests that regularly
consuming a class of nutrients called carotenoids, which are powerful
antioxidants, can boost a person's overall vision and slow the
deterioration caused by macular degeneration. Most importantly, it may
prevent the disease.
It may seem too simple that eye diseases with no known scientific
cure could be prevented so easily, but it turns out mom was right: eat
your vegetables. Leafy greens are packed with special carotenoids called
lutein and zeaxanthin that protect the eyes. A ground-breaking 1994 study
in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that older
adults taking 6 mg of lutein a day had a 43% lower risk of macular
degeneration than normal. Those eating collard greens and spinach twice
weekly--they are especially high in these nutrients--had half the normal
risk.
PHOTO (COLOR): Green leafy vegetables like spinach preserve macular
integrity.
How can this be? Age-related macular degeneration occurs when cells
in the macula, a yellow spot at the center of the retina, break down.
This process slowly and progressively destroys sight in the center of the
field of vision.
Lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in the macula and actually act
like chemical sun-glasses, filtering out destructive rays from the
fragile but crucially important eye.
I have treated several patients with this problem whose condition
has either stabilized or improved on a program that includes lutein. I
recommend it in supplement form and emphasize a daily diet high in green
leafy vegetables.
Tags:
age related macular degeneration,
aging,
american medical association,
blindness,
carotenoids,
collard greens,
deterioration,
eye diseases,
field of vision,
green leafy vegetables,
journal of the american medical association,
leafy greens,
Lutein,
lutein and zeaxanthin,
macula,
nutrition,
older adults,
photo color,
retina,
spinach,
sun glasses,
vision
