Antioxidants help sharpen vision: Study

Usha Chakravarthy, professor of Ophthalmology at Queen’s Centre of Vision and Vascular Science (CVVS) and author of the study, hypothesized that giving the right nutritional supplements to patients with AMD degeneration might help slow the process.

"Late AMD causes severe sight loss and has a huge economic impact both in terms of the effects of sight loss itself and in terms of the expensive treatments that are needed to deal with the condition,” says Chakravarthy.

Study and findings
More than 400 people with an average age of 77 took part in the five year clinical trial from across Ireland.

Chakravarthy and her team examined whether a supplement containing vitamins C and E, zinc, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin found in leafy vegetables such as spinach, could prevent the progression of early AMD to a more serious late AMD.

For comparison a group was administered placebos. The scientists observed that intake of high levels of antioxidants preserved the macular pigment that slows vision loss.

They found the supplement slowed the degeneration and sharpened vision of the participants. In contrast the vision of subjects without the supplements declined steadily.

The study established that antioxidants, either as supplements or through a diet rich in fresh fruit and leafy vegetables, can delay sight loss in people at risk from AMD.

Prof Chakravarthy said, "These findings are important because this is the first randomised controlled clinical trial to document a beneficial effect through improved function and maintained macular pigment."

The research findings are being presented in Belfast by Usha Chakravarthy and Dr Beatty, who is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at the Waterford Regional Hospital.

What is age-related macular degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration is an incurable eye ailment that blurs the vision because it affects the macula, the central part of the retina that helps to see fine details.

Patients with late AMD lose their central vision. Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for daily common tasks such as reading and driving.

In some cases, AMD advances so slowly that people notice very little change in their vision. But in others, the disease progresses faster and may sometimes lead to a loss of vision in both eyes.