According to American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF), there are approximately200,000 new cases of macular degeneration in the U.S. each year and more than 10 million sufferers.1 Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the name given to that group of diseases that cause sight-sensing cells in the macular zone of the retina to malfunction or lose function.

AMD occurs primarily in two forms: dry and wet.

Dry AMD affects about 90 percent of those with the disease.¹ Its cause is unknown. Slowly, the light-sensitive cells in the macula break down. With less of the macula working, you may start to lose central vision in the affected eye as the years go by. Dry AMD often occurs in just one eye at first. You may get the disease later in the other eye. Doctors have no way of knowing if or when both eyes may be affected.

Wet AMD accounts for 90 percent of all severe vision loss from the disease, but only about 10 to 15 percent of all people with AMD have this type.¹ It occurs when new blood vessels behind the retina start to grow toward the macula. Because these new blood vessels tend to be very fragile, they will often leak blood and fluid under the macula. This causes rapid damage to the macula that can lead to the loss of central vision in a short period of time.

If you experience slightly blurred vision… a hard time recognizing faces… a blurred spot in the center of your vision… straight or wavy lines in your line of sight… or other irregularities in your regular vision… then you may be at risk for AMD.²

What can you do if you are diagnosed with macular degeneration?¹

• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
• Do not smoke and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Consume a low-fat, low cholesterol diet. A high-fat, high cholesterol diet can lead to fatty plaque deposition in the macular vessels hampering blood flow.
• Eat food and/or supplements rich in vitamins E, C and lutein like spinach, collard greens, kale and other dark green, leafy vegetables.

Seniors in particular with AMD could also benefit from zinc’s protective qualities. According to the findings of a nationwide clinical trial of people ages 55 to 80 published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, high levels of zinc combined with high levels of antioxidants significantly reduce your risk of advanced AMD.³

In this clinical trial of 4,757 participants called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and sponsored by the National Eye Institute (NEI), scientists noted that those at high risk of developing advanced AMD decreased their risk by 25 percent when they took high doses of zinc (along with 2 milligrams of copper to prevent copper deficiency), vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene.

If you are over age 40 and haven’t had a recent screening and are starting to notice vision problems, make sure you get regular eye exams.⁴ You may not notice the problem until it’s too late, that’s why a doctor’s screening can help with early detection.

And if you want to help prevent vision loss before it happens, I highly recommend adding certain nutritious foods to your diet­. The color of your foods matters — the richer the color, the better! So when you are thinking of protecting your vision, think red, green, yellow/orange and blue/purple — and plenty of them!

According to the American Dietetic Association,⁵ “An eating pattern packed with plenty of fruits and vegetables includes two to three servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables each day.” So when you plan your menu, color-code it and watch what a difference colors can make!

Red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, processed tomato products, watermelon, pink grapefruit and red peppers are great for your eyes because they contain lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps to both prevent cataracts and destroy free radicals that can affect your eyesight. Since the body does not naturally produce lycopene, you can only get it from eating foods that are rich in this antioxidant.

Cooked tomatoes and tomato products such as spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, ketchup and pizza sauce are the main sources of lycopene in the average American diet today, good news if you’re a pizza fan! Amazingly, your body can absorb lycopene BETTER when it is eaten in these forms–for reasons that are still not clear. So if you cook fresh tomatoes with a little oil (preferably monounsaturated olive oil), it does wonders for how well your body can absorb the lycopene.

Next, go for the green – green and leafy fruits and vegetables contain the amazing antioxidant lutein, which fights against the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts and helps maintain good vision. This antioxidant is found in collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, green peas, honeydew melons and kiwifruits.

Say YES to yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos, cantaloupe, apricots and peaches, which are rich in beta-carotene, and oranges, lemons, grapefruits, tangerines, papaya and nectarines that contain bioflavonoids. Both beta-carotene and bioflavonoids are powerhouse antioxidants that work hard to maintain good vision.

Blue and purple vegetables such as black currants, blackberries, blueberries, eggplant, elderberries, purple grapes, plums, pomegranates, purple cabbage, prunes and raisins also contain that powerful antioxidant, lutein, which supports retinal health.

And don’t forget the peels! If you are removing the peels before you eat these colorful fruits and vegetables, you are throwing away many of the nutrients that nourish your precious sight. A great idea is to toss several of your favorite fruits and vegetables of all colors — including the peels — into the blender and enjoy a healthy, nutritious smoothie!

I encourage you to see the difference a healthy and nutritious lifestyle can have on your vision! You are only awarded one set of eyes for your entire lifetime, so take care to add fruits, veggies and all-natural supplements to ensure eagle-eye vision well into your 70s, 80s or 90s!

Yours for true health,

Michael Cutler, M.D.

References

1. American Macular Degeneration Foundation.
2. Macular Degeneration Association.
3. Archives of Ophthalmology. Oct. 2001.National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Age-Related    Eye Disease Study (AREDS).
4. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
5. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. American Dietetic Association.

[Ed. Note: Michael Cutler, M.D. is a Board-Certified family physician with more than 17 years of clinical experience. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Tulane Medical School. Dr. Cutler's practice focuses on integrative solutions to health problems, and behavioral and nutritional medicine. For more information, visit www.truehealth.com.]

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