People who follow a healthy dietary regimen may be protecting themselves against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study published in the journal, Ophthalmology.
This eyesight disease leads to damage of the macula, where the central vision occurs. Individuals who are diagnosed with AMD can lose their peripheral vision, and in rare cases, develop blindness.
In an effort to determine how ones diet affects the aging of their eyesight, researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston enrolled more than 4,000 individuals aged 55 to 80 years old in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. During this trial, the team of participants were surveyed about what they eat on a regular basis.
The researchers discovered that people who consumed a slow carbohydrate diet, which includes foods containing compounds that naturally break down in the body slower than others, were less likely to suffer from AMD. Also, the results of the study showed that individuals who followed dietary regimens that included high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids were better protected against developing eyesight programs.
Currently, more than 1.75 million Americans have been diagnosed with AMD, and because of the growing aging population, by 2020, the population is projected to increase to 3 million people, according to the National Eye Institute.