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Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

Changing your diet to include more fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods may help you prevent vision loss if you've been diagnosed with macular degeneration. Try to:

  • Include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet. The antioxidant vitamins in the fruits and vegetables contribute to eye health. Eating a variety of colors ensures that you're getting a variety of vitamins.
  • Choose healthy fats. Healthy unsaturated fats, such as the fats found in olive oil, may help protect your vision. Choose these healthy fats over saturated fats, such as butter, and trans fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils found in packaged foods.
  • Choose whole grains over refined grains. Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, over refined grains, such as white bread.
  • Add fish to your diet. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids that may help reduce the risk of vision loss related to macular degeneration. Fish that contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines and tuna. Omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in supplements and nuts, such as walnuts.
Coping and support Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Age-related macular degeneration. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://one.aao.org/asset.axd?id=29a3f5f4-afa1-41ea-bbc5-0bb01ff1fc9c. Accessed July 27, 2010.
  2. Rosenfeld PJ, et al. Age-related macular degeneration. In: Yanoff M, et al. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/199400089-5/0/1869/0.html. Accessed July 27, 2010.
  3. Facts about age-related macular degeneration. National Eye Institute. http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp. Accessed July 27, 2010.
  4. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). EyeSmart. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/amd.cfm. Accessed Aug. 2, 2010.
  5. Arroyo JG. Age-related macular degeneration: Treatment and prevention. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 27, 2010.
  6. Making the most of low vision. EyeSmart. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/amd-low-vision.cfm. Accessed July 27, 2010.
  7. Schadlu AP, et al. Charles Bonnet syndrome: A review. Current Opinion in Ophthalmology. 2009;20:219.
  8. Devices to help with low vision. Macular Degeneration Partnership. http://www.amd.org/living-with-amd/low-vision/80-devices-to-help-low-vision.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
  9. Primo SA. Implantable miniature telescope: Lessons learned. Optometry. 2010;81:86.
  10. Krishnadev N, et al. Nutritional supplements for age-related macular degeneration. Current Opinion in Ophthalmology. 2010;21:184.
  11. Van Leeuwen R, et al. Dietary intake of antioxidants and risk of age-related macular degeneration. JAMA. 2005;294:3101.
  12. Chong EWT, et al. Fat consumption and its association with age-related macular degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2009;127:674.
  13. Chiu CJ, et al. Does eating particular diets alter the risk of age-related macular degeneration in users of the Age-Related Eye Diseases Study supplements? British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2009;93:1241.
  14. Chiu CJ, et al. Dietary carbohydrate and the progression of age-related macular degeneration: A prospective study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007;86:1210.
  15. SanGiovanni JP, et al. The relationship of dietary omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake with incident age-related macular degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2008;126:1274.
  16. Seddon JM, et al. Cigarette smoking, fish consumption, omega-3 fatty acid intake and associations with age-related macular degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2006;124:995.
  17. Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 10, 2010.
DS00284 Oct. 1, 2011

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