An orange way to protect against age-related macular degeneration
Many elderly people suffer from age-related macular (AMD) degeneration. This is where central vision becomes a blur as the macula, the central part of the retina, deteriorates with age. AMD has until now been incurable.
Now good news comes from Northern Island for sufferers of AMD. Queen’s Belfast University academics have helped develop an antioxidant supplement which may slow down sight loss due to AMD in elderly people.
Professor Usha Chakravarthy, of Queen’s Belfast Centre of Vision and Vascular Science, coordinated the study, which examined nutritional supplements for patients with AMD and found they helped sharpen their vision.
Over 400 people took part in the clinical trials investigating whether carotenoids, rich antioxidants, which are found in orange colored fruit and vegetables like carrots, could prevent AMD from getting worse to the more serious late phase where patients are unable to read, watch television or recognize people’s faces as they only have peripheral vision, not central vision.
As the macula of the eye is very rich in antioxidants the researchers wanted to see if a supplement called CARMA (Caroteneoids and Co-antioxidants in Age-related Maculopathy) containing the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin as well as other antioxidants vitamins C,E and Zinc, could help slow down AMD.
The study demonstrated that intake of high levels of both carotenoids and the other antioxidants preserved the macular pigments, slowing down the progression from early AMD to late AMD. The eyes of those in the control group (received placebos) continued to deteriorate.
Dr 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 pigments."
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