Age-related macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition that gradually causes central vision to diminish, making reading, driving, and recognising faces increasingly challenging. It is the leading cause of blindness among adults aged over 60.

B complex vitamins, particularly Vitamin B6, can reduce homocysteine levels and offer protection from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A recent randomized placebo-controlled trial known as Women’s Antioxidant and Folic Acid Cardiovascular Study (WAFACS) demonstrated this fact by showing how taking combination of Folic acid, Vitamin B6 and B12 significantly lowered AMD risk.

Deficiency

Deficits in vitamin b12 can damage retinas in eyes and lead to macular degeneration, but this damage can be avoided by maintaining adequate levels of folic acid and vitamin b12. Deficiencies can occur as a result of various conditions, including pernicious anemia and digestive problems; treating such deficiencies usually entails injecting, sublingual pill or skin patch doses of these vitamins into their system.

Pernicious anemia, also known as vitamin b12 deficiency, occurs when low levels of intrinsic factor prevent intestinal absorption of this essential nutrient. Typically affecting elderly populations and leading to anemia as well as dementia-like comorbidities; it also increases stroke risks as well as cardiovascular diseases.

Retinal disease has long been reported alongside pernicious anemia, particularly among patients with inherited transcobalamin II deficiency. Few ophthalmic studies have documented both maculopathy and retinal pigment epithelial changes simultaneously among this group of patients;1 this case report provides the first account of such an event occurring among Fanconi anemia sufferers and vitamin B12 deficient individuals who also developed bilateral ocular neovascularization.

Vitamin b12 deficiency can also lead to neuropathies. These may include peripheral neuropathies that manifest as axonal or demyelinating symptoms and cause loss of position and vibratory sensation in extremities as well as weakness, hyporeflexia, spasticity and ataxia in some individuals.

Vitamin b12 plays an essential role in brain and nervous system health. It plays a part in nucleic acid metabolism and myelin production – both essential components of peripheral nerves. Furthermore, vitamin b12 ensures regular DNA synthesis and repair processes are occurring correctly.

Folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 have been demonstrated to lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration – one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness among older individuals – via a large randomized controlled trial with 5205 women at high cardiovascular disease risk who received daily supplements containing these vitamins for 10 years.

Symptoms

Vitamin B12 deficiency can have lasting damage on the nervous system and retina of your eye, potentially leading to blindness in some instances. Vitamin B12 is essential in producing red blood cells and DNA as well as creating myelin insulation around nerve cells called myelin sheaths; those with digestive issues that prevent absorption as well as vegetarians and people who have had surgery that removed part of their stomach or intestine are at increased risk for deficiency.

Homocysteine, an amino acid linked to age-related macular degeneration and its gradual loss of central vision in your eyes, increases when there is an insufficient supply of this nutrient. When homocysteine levels rise as a result of inadequate intake. Homocysteine increases your risk for this condition resulting in difficulty reading, driving or recognising faces as well as difficulty reading, driving and recognising them altogether.

Studies have demonstrated that sufficient levels of B vitamins — specifically vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and folic acid — can significantly decrease your risk for macular degeneration. Supplementing with these antioxidant vitamins may significantly cut down your homocysteine levels and significantly lessen your chances of macular degeneration.

As well as helping reduce your risk for macular degeneration, eating foods rich in B vitamins may also slow its progress if you already have it. Vitamin B12 can be found in meat, dairy products, eggs and fish; alternatively you can supplement with injections or oral cobalamin tablets.

Beyond improving vision, getting enough vitamin B12 can also protect you against osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Studies have demonstrated that low levels of this nutrient may cause bone mass to diminish further as well as increasing your risk for fractures and other health conditions.

If you are at high risk for macular degeneration, our Las Vegas retina specialist recommends taking an antioxidant vitamin combination of B6, B12 and folic acid – recent research indicated this could lower the risk of advanced macular degeneration among those predisposed.

Treatment

Harvard Medical School researchers recently conducted a study that suggested taking vitamins B6 and B12 along with folic acid could significantly lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration among female subjects aged 50 years or more, which is promising news since macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness among older Americans.

Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin essential to healthy bodily functioning. It plays an essential role in producing red blood cells which transport oxygen throughout the body – particularly to brain and eye tissues – forming red blood cell precursors and transporting them. A lack of Vitamin B12 leads to low levels of red blood cell formation resulting in anemia, while folic acid plays an integral part in DNA/RNA synthesis and can be found in foods like meat, dairy products and fortified bread or plant milk products.

Folic acid deficiency is one of the primary causes of neural tube defects (NTDs) in newborn babies (such as spina bifida and anencephalocele). Pregnant women should take folic acid supplements during gestation in order to help prevent NTD. Due to increased amounts of folic acid being added into US food supplies, rates of NTD have significantly declined over time; however some individuals still do not consume sufficient amounts in their diets.

Archives of Internal Medicine study investigated the relationship between homocysteine levels, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 intakes and macular degeneration among a population-based sample. Retinal photographs and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to classify participants as either having atrophic macular degeneration or neovascular AMD; findings indicated that those taking supplements of folic acid, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin had significantly lower homocysteine levels and reduced risks of advanced AMD.

Research found that supplements did not improve results for those with early macular degeneration or those without symptoms, although the findings are promising, showing how even an inexpensive and simple supplement could potentially reduce wet macular degeneration cases and slow progression of AMD.

Prevention

As well as giving up smoking, one of the best ways to lower your risk for vitamin b12 macular degeneration is through eating healthily. Many essential vitamins for macular degeneration prevention are present in food sources like beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid – diets rich in such essential vitamins can help both prevent macular degeneration as well as slow its progress for those already diagnosed with it.

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient essential for eye health and can be found in various food sources, including carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, kale and squash. Vitamin A helps your eyes see well even in low light or darkness conditions and its lack can lead to xerophthalmia, an eye condition in which the cornea becomes softened leading to vision loss.

Macular degeneration is most frequently caused by an accumulation of waste material called “drusen formation” in the macula – the area of retina responsible for central vision. This build-up may lead to blurry or blind spots in your central vision; for this reason it’s essential that you consume plenty of vitamins A, C and E in your diet.

Studies indicate that diets high in B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, can significantly lower your chances of age-related macular degeneration. This is due to how these vitamins help lower homocysteine levels in your bloodstream which are known risk factors for this form of eye degeneration.

Vitamins B6 and B12 combined with folic acid may also reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). According to one recent study published by the Archives of Internal Medicine, women taking 50mg of B6, 1mg of B12, and 2.5mg folate supplements over two years had significantly less AMD risk compared with those not taking these nutrients; these findings corroborate previous research linking these nutrients with reduced AMD risks. To get enough folate and B vitamins in your daily diet – including meat poultry fish dairy products- as well as multivitamins or fortified cereals!