Carotenoids Such as Lutein and Zeaxanthin Are Key to Reducing Blindness Risks
PRNewswire, Des Moines, Aug. 19

Carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin, are key to reducing risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people over 65, according to an article in the August issue of Review of Ophthalmology.

"The conventional wisdom among the U.S. population at large has been that eating carrots will protect your vision. However, the better food may very well be spinach," said author Steven G. Pratt, M.D., FACS, senior staff ophthalmologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital, LaJolla, CA. "Compelling evidence suggests that the consumption of two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), found abundantly in this green leafy vegetable, may significantly reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration."

The density of macular pigment found in the eye has a potential role in AMD, perhaps because the pigment filters damaging blue light.

Results from epidemiological studies, experimental studies in humans and animals, and actual clinical studies help establish the presence of lutein in the macula; the effects of dietary intake on concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin found in the macula; and the reduced risk of AMD associated with high dietary intake of carotenoids. Results from the Eye Disease Case-Control Study, for example, found a 43% lower risk of developing AMD in women whose diets contained high amounts of carotenoids.

Currently, there is no cure for AMD and very limited treatment options. Prevention is key to reducing the incidence of AMD, especially as our aging population more than doubles in the next 50 years. The disease is characterized by the deterioration of the macula, the center of the retina, that produces sharp, 20/20 vision needed to read and see objects clearly. The affected individual will find it difficult to see clearly for either near or distant tasks and objects may appear bent and distorted. When blindness develops, it is irreversible.

Certain modifiable risk factors apparently contribute to the incidence of AMD. These factors include diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, extensive exposure to the sun, elevated serum lipids, and cardiovascular disease.

Source: Kemin Foods