What is AMD?
Which Vitamins are Important?
Will taking vitamins prevent macular degeneration?
Other Recommended Websites
Light and images travel into the eye through the pupil, finally focusing on the internal wall of the eye, known as the retina. The center area of the retina that provides the details of vision that allow us to read and distinguish facial features is known as the macular.As we age, the macula inside our eyes is vulnerable to degenerative changes that can affect our ability to see these precious details. The condition is called Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), and it is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in the Western Hemisphere.
The early forms of this condition are called “dry” or atrophic macular degeneration. Although not usually rapidly progressive, it can cause severe vision loss. Some patients progress to “wet” or exudative macular degeneration, in which there is bleeding beneath the retina with rapidly progressive vision loss.
Research by the National Eye Institute demonstrated that high-dose nutritional supplementation with large quantities of antioxidants can slow the progression of macular degeneration. And more recent research has shown that large quantities of lutein and zeaxanthin can improve vision and the appearance of the retina in macular degeneration.*
What is AMD?
Macular Degeneration is an eye condition in which the macula, a sensitive area in the retina responsible for central and detail vision, is damaged, often causing loss of central vision. Click here to find out more.
Which Vitamins are Important?
In that study, specific macular degeneration vitamin ingredients and amounts were found to slow the progression of macular degeneration in those patients with intermediate or advanced disease. It is believed that macular degeneration vitamins contain specific anti-oxidants and Zinc that promote the continued health of the retina and tissues surrounding the retina.
Will taking vitamins prevent macular degeneration?
In the absence of any macular degeneration, there is no research published that shows that taking vitamins can prevent macular degeneration. However, the AREDS study did show, if there was disease in only one eye, that taking proper vitamin supplements prevented or slowed the progress of the disease in the opposite eye.
Other Recommended Websites
There are a number of great resources about Macular Degeneration online. Click here to see a complete list.
Macular Degeneration Vitamins 