Healthnotes Newswire (June 28, 2007)—Vitamin D might prevent age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over age 60, a new study shows.
Macular degeneration is a progressive disease of the eye that causes destruction of the macula, the part of eye responsible for central vision. Damage to the macula results in blurred vision or a blind spot in the center of the visual field. Because this is the part of the eye responsible for straight-ahead vision, tasks such as reading, driving, recognizing faces, and doing detailed work become difficult.
People with a family history of the disease, seniors, women, people with light-colored eyes, smokers, and people with cardiovascular disease are at higher risk for developing macular degeneration. Certain nutritional deficiencies have also been linked to a higher disease risk, while the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, and zinc seem to help protect against it.
