Eating fish may lower risk of vision loss

Thursday, June 19, 2008The intake of fish and diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids appear to lower the risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss among elderly people. New treatments for AMD carry risks and treat only certain forms of the disease. To evaluate protective factors for AMD, American researchers studied 261 participants, aged 60 years and older, suffering from some signs of nonexudative AMD and visual acuity of 20/20 or better in at least eye eye. It was found that a high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a 38 percent reduction in the risk of late AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of early and late AMD.Higher fish intake was associated with a lower risk of AMD progression among subjects with lower linoleic acid intake. The findings appeared in the latest issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.