Poor diet can increase your risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Other risk factors, including smoking, being overweight and uncontrolled cardiovascular and high blood pressure conditions can increase this risk as well.

As it happens, certain nutrients and vitamins can reduce your risk of this irreversible condition. One strategy to do so is eating foods rich in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin.

Fruits and Vegetables

Foods you eat offer numerous health advantages for your body. They can help control blood pressure and cholesterol, decrease cardiovascular disease risk and, according to recent studies, may even help lower age-related macular degeneration risk and other eye health disorders. A diet rich in essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants may prevent such conditions from emerging while improving overall eye health.

Dark green leafy vegetables rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin such as spinach, kale and collards may contain high concentrations of these antioxidants that may protect retina from damage by filtering out damaging blue light that causes macular degeneration. Studies indicate that those who regularly consume high quantities of these nutrients have significantly decreased risks for age-related macular degeneration than those who don’t consume such amounts of nutrients.

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for eye health. Studies have demonstrated its ability to slow age-related macular degeneration. You can find Vitamin C rich foods such as oranges, strawberries, papaya, red peppers and tomatoes.

Recent research has demonstrated that people who eat the recommended daily amounts of vegetables (200g), fruit (2x/day), and fish (3x/week), have a decreased risk of AMD when compared with those who don’t abide by such diet. Adherence was linked with 34% lower risk for advanced AMD development after accounting for factors like smoking, education level, household income level, age etc. It marks the first time such diet can prevent AMD.

Fish

Researchers recently conducted a study which revealed that diets rich in vegetables, fruit and fish significantly reduce age-related macular degeneration – an eye disease which affects the central portion of retina, leading to blurry vision. Although no permanent cure exists for macular degeneration, regular eye exams and healthy diets rich in green leafy vegetables, fruits, fish and antioxidants may lower your risk.

Diets that include less red meat and more fatty fish (salmon, tuna, and sardines) may help stave off macular degeneration. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats provided by these fish species may slow progression of disease while helping protect dryness of eyes. Eating foods rich in zinc (oysters and crab) also reduce risk by increasing production of lutein and zeaxanthin within your body.

Dieting to reduce macular degeneration risks is equally as essential. Opting for foods such as brown rice, quinoa and whole wheat bread with low glycemic index ratings – such as brown rice and quinoa – which will be digested slowly without dramatically raising blood sugar levels – will be key.

Dieting according to a Mediterranean-style diet may help decrease your risk of macular degeneration. This diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil and unrefined grains has been linked with reduced risks of age-related macular degeneration as well as chronic diseases like heart disease and dementia.

A recent report suggests that diets rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids — found in foods like salmon, tuna, sardines and flaxseed — may help protect against age-related macular degeneration. This finding backs up previous research that demonstrated those who consume more fish have lower risks of macular degeneration than those who don’t. This research was published by Archives of Ophthalmology; also discovered was those eating traditional Western diets low in omega-3 polyunsaturated fats had increased risks of macular degeneration than those eating more fish consuming.

Nuts

Nuts contain essential antioxidants and nutrients that promote eye health, such as zinc and vitamin E, both essential in slowing macular degeneration progression. Furthermore, nuts also contain natural anti-blue light protection substances called lutein and zeaxanthin that act like eye shields against harmful blue light rays – making them great snacks or salad toppings! Some of the best macular degeneration-fighting nuts include walnuts, pecans, peanuts and brazil nuts.

Nuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which research has demonstrated reduce the risk of macular degeneration and other eye health conditions, as well as lower triglyceride levels in blood, which in turn lowers cardiovascular disease risks. Two landmark studies conducted at Loma Linda University during the early 90s shed further light on nuts’ heart-healthy qualities: one study linked consumption to lower risk of coronary artery disease while a second showed eating walnut-rich diet reduced cholesterol more effectively than control diets.

Nuts provide other nutritional advantages, including their ability to help prevent weight gain and a low glycemic index. Epidemiological and experimental research indicate that eating nuts regularly may reduce blood pressure, visceral adiposity and metabolic syndrome risk factors.

Macular degeneration diets should include a variety of nutrient-rich foods, such as fish and leafy vegetables as well as nuts, seeds and fruit. Selecting the appropriate balance will allow for maximum eye health benefits as well as maintaining quality of life. Dr. Michael Lange of The Villages, Florida believes macular degeneration to be a nutritionally responsive condition and has seen its benefits through diet, supplements, weight management, exercise and blocking harmful blue light with indoor/outdoor lenses for his patients. Dr. Lange recommends these lifestyle changes to all his patients to significantly decrease macular degeneration.

Alcohol

While many associate alcohol consumption with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), no direct evidence has been found linking moderate consumption directly with this condition. There is however, strong evidence tying high glycemic index diets and alcohol consumption together with an increase in early AMD risk. Type of beverage also plays a part; one study revealed beer drinkers as more likely than abstainers to suffer advanced macular degeneration than wine drinkers (although these results became nonsignificant when adjusted for gender and smoking).

However, drinking alcohol should not be recommended to individuals with a family history of macular degeneration, high blood pressure or cholesterol issues, or who already exhibit signs of the disease (such as yellow deposits under the retina). Heavy drinking can lead to obesity and nutritional deficiencies while alcohol absorption reduces certain essential vitamins and minerals – for maximum nutrient preservation when drinking, take care with how often and with how much you drink; pair your beverage consumption with meals to protect nutrient absorption.

Five million Americans over 60 years of age suffer from essential tremor, which causes the shaking of body parts such as hands or heads. Some individuals find relief in drinking moderate amounts of alcohol as this may help alleviate their tremors.

Macular degeneration cannot be entirely prevented, but controlling other modifiable risks like smoking, engaging in regular physical activity and eating healthily will significantly slow its rate of progression. An annual eye exam using an Amsler Grid chart by your physician can detect early macular changes.