Can diet protect you from losing your eyesight as you age?

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which causes a gradual deterioriation of your central vision, is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. At present there is no cure or treatment--but researchers had high hopes that a diet rich in antioxidants might prevent macular degeneration. Unfortunately, the latest study results now suggest that antioxidants do not in fact protect against macular degeneration.

But there still may be a nutrition connection.  Scientists have found that systemic inflammation  (indicated by high C-reactive protein levels) is directly linked to the risk of developing AMD. And this implies that an anti-inflammatory diet may be effective in preventing this devastating condition.

So, while these studies seem to imply that antioxidants have no effect on AMD, I suspect that it's a little more nuanced than that. Antioxidants alone may not be enough to reduce CRP levels and disease risk, but as part of an anti-inflammatory diet, they may play an important role.

Antioxidants help reduce inflammation, but an anti-inflammatory diet also requires limiting saturated and trans fats, increasing monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats, moderating the glycemic impact, and including nutrients that lower homocysteine.  Inflammation also increases your risk of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression--so there are plenty of good reasons to consider an anti-inflammatory diet. The IF Ratings can help you create a diet that reduces excess inflammation. (See more on our Inflammation Help page.)