Monthly Archives: March 2012

As we age we are susceptible to the perils of age-related macular degeneration that can lead to loss of vision and potentially, blindness. One in ten people over the age of 65 have some vision loss due to AMD. Some nutrients that can help protect the eye from this condition include a diet low in saturated fats and high in fish. The antioxidant carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin can both prevent and treat AMD. Food containing these substances include carrots, dark leafy greens, eggs, corn, winter squash, pumpkins and sweet potatoes. If you choose to take a supplement make sure it contains 10-15mg of lutein per day

Vitamin C and Zinc are also a good preventives as is Taurine, B vitamins, selenium, acetyl-L-carnitine, coQ10 and vitamin E. Ginko biloba has also been shown to improve vision in patients who have AMD already. Glutathione is a universal antioxidant in the retina that may be helpful in maintaining retinal function. Older adults exhibit lower levels of glutathione so a good supplement to take is MSM, the only form of sulfur that your body can utilize to produce glutathione.

 One of the big preventives is wearing sunglasses that block UV rays. Also get regular check-ups with your eye doctor. For more information on these and other eye conditions read Dr. Michael Geiger’s book Eye Care Naturally available at Amazon.