Macular Degeneration
Macular DegenerationWhat would life be like if you had macular degeneration? Well, for one thing, reading these words would be difficult or even impossible, because macular degeneration affects the macula, a tiny part of the back wall of the eye that’s responsible for clear straight-ahead vision.
Loss of sight due to this disease affects more than 1.5 million Americans. Officially, it’s called age-related macular degeneration because your risk for developing macular degeneration rises substantially after your sixtieth birthday. In fact, it is the number one cause of blindness in people age 60 and older.
One form of the disease, known as wet macular degeneration, makes vision deteriorate rapidly because tiny, delicate blood vessels start to grow under the macula, all the while leaking blood and fluid. For some lucky people with this type, laser treatment can destroy the new blood vessels. They won’t recover the vision they’ve lost, but at least the deterioration won’t get any worse.
The dry form is more common, affecting 90 percent of those with macular degeneration. In this type, light-sensing cells in the eye are slowly broken down. Scientists still don’t know what causes this breakdown, although the free-roaming, unstable molecules called free radicals are partially to blame. There’s a lot of chemical activity among oxygen molecules in the eye, and wherever those oxidative processes occur, cells are damaged by free radical action.
Even though sight loss is slower with the dry type than with the wet type, it seems to be an irreversible process. As of now, there’s no medical treatment that can help.
Supplements may help slow the progression of dry macular degeneration. In ongoing research, the National Institutes of Health has undertaken an Age-Related Eye Disease Study to look at just this possibility. Among other things, the study is examining the potential role of certain vitamins and minerals in treating the disease.
As the name suggests, night blindness primarily affects vision in situations of low light. When you’re driving after dark, for instance, you may find that you’re momentarily blinded by the glare from headlights, or you may find that your eyes are slow to adjust when you move from a brightly lit room into a dim one.
Blame these difficulties on a chemical called rhodopsin. Produced in the rods of the eye—the photo receptors that help us see in low light—rhodopsin is necessary for distinguishing things that are poorly lit. If you lack rhodopsin, your night sight will be less than perfect.
As the story goes, British pilots during World War II began eating bilberry jam—made from a type of northern European blueberry—to help counteract night blindness. Searching for the active component in these dark berries, scientists found chemical substances called anthocyanins. “Blueberries, elderberries, huckleberries, and red grapes also contain this pigment,” says Robert Abel Jr., M.D., clinical professor of ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and author of The Eyecare Revolution. In the body, Dr. Abel says, anthocyanins benefit the eyes by converting to rhodopsin.
You probably won’t be able to find bilberries or bilberry jam in your local supermarket. You should be able to locate bilberry capsules at your local health food store or drugstore, though. Take 100 to 500 milligrams of bilberry twice a day. “Try it right before you go out at night,” says Dr. Abel. “You should notice an effect within 20 minutes or so.” You may take this for a month or two and see how it works for you. If you find that it’s working, you can continue to take one dose of 100 milligrams before you go out at night.
While the official word isn’t out yet, some practitioners already believe that it’s wise and safe to take supplements for macular degeneration, particularly if you’ve already been diagnosed with it. Plus, since vitamins and minerals may also play a role in prevention, starting now could be your best bet to maintain healthy eyes. Be sure to get your doctor’s approval, though, before you take supplements to treat this condition.
Save Your Sight with Carotenoids
Lutein and zeaxanthin are naturally occurring pigments that have a special association with the macula. In fact, these carotenoids, as they are called, actually form the visible yellow color that your doctor can detect when he examines your eyes with an ophthalmoscope.
"There is lutein actually present within the eye," says Robert Abel Jr., M.D., clinical professor of ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and author of The Eyecare Revolution. Eyes affected by macular degeneration may be lacking this lemon-colored luster.
If you eat lots of fruits and vegetables, you’re already taking the right step to help lower your risk of developing macular degeneration. Fresh produce contains high amounts of yellow carotenoids, and since carotenoids are antioxidants, they can help protect the retina against oxidative damage that can lead to macular degeneration.
When you choose a carotenoid supplement, you should mimic a varied diet of fresh produce, with many healthful pigments, by looking for capsules in combination or mixed form. Also, check the label to be sure that the carotenoids come from natural sources instead of being synthetically produced, says Mark Lamden, N.D., a naturopathic doctor and adjunct faculty member at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. He notes that the natural types may be a little harder to find, but they may be safer than synthetics.
In addition to five or more servings of vegetables and fruits a day, people with macular degeneration should take a supplement containing 6 to 12 milligrams of lutein, recommends Dr. Abel. For best absorption, he says, be sure to take it with a meal that contains a little fat.
Try an Herbal Antioxidant
Antioxidants of all kinds, including vitamins C and E, are very effective at protecting cells from free radical damage. When it comes to macular degeneration in particular, however, there is an herbal source of antioxidants that stands out. Ginkgo, besides improving blood flow to the brain, is a macula-protecting antioxidant. Look for capsules containing standardized ginkgo extract and take 40 milligrams three times a day, says Dr. Lamden.
Bilberry for Night Blindness