Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of
vision loss and blindness in people over the age of 55, affecting
the vision of 1 in 5 people. The National Eye Institute (NEI)
of the National Institute of Health (NIH) defines AMD as a disease
associated with aging that gradually destroys sharp, central vision.
Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common
daily tasks such as reading and driving.
Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a 10-year independent
study conducted by the NEI, proved that a unique high potency
vitamin and mineral supplement could decrease the risk of developing
advanced stages of AMD. For people at high risk of developing
advanced stages of AMD, the AREDS study proved that the use of
a combination of antioxidants and zinc supplements reduced that
risk by 25%. For this same group, the risk of vision loss itself
was reduced by 19%. Study participants who had either no AMD or
early AMD did not derive any apparent benefit from the supplements.
There are some personal habits that may also increase or decrease
your risk of developing AMD as seen in the chart below.
The
combined antioxidant/zinc supplement used in the AREDS
study contained:
| • Vitamin C - 500 milligrams |
• Copper (as cupric oxide) - 2
milligrams |
| • Beta-Carotene - 15 milligrams |
• Zinc (as zinc oxide) - 80 milligrams |
| • Vitamin E - 400 IU |
|
|
Factors
that increase your risk of developing advanced AMD:
| • High cholesterol |
• Sedentary lifestyle and a high
body mass index |
| • Hypertension or high blood pressure |
• Consuming high sugar or high
glycemic foods |
|
Factors that decrease your risk of developing advanced
AMD
| • Quitting smoking reduces the
risk by 50% |
• Consume Omega 3 fatty acids and
fish |
| • Eat fruits and vegetables (cartenoids) |
• Have an active lifestyle, exercise! |
|
At present, the only proven medical intervention to decrease the
risk for AMD progression is the use of supplementation. AREDS
vitamin formulas are available over the counter without a prescription
in most pharmacies and grocery stores. In order to determine if
you are at high risk of developing advanced stages of AMD and/or
to decide if you might benefit from vitamin supplements, you should
consult your ophthalmologist.
Shiley Eye Center to be a Clinical Center for AREDS2
The UCSD Shiley Eye Center’s Division of Community Ophthalmology
will be a Clinical Center for the Age-Related Eye Disease Study
2 (AREDS2). The purpose of this multi-center randomized trial,
under the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), is to determine if a modified combination of
oral vitamins, minerals and fish oil can slow the progression
of vision loss from AMD further than the formulation used in the
original AREDS study that concluded 5 years ago.
“We are very pleased that by becoming an AREDS2 Clinical
Center we will be able to provide the opportunity in San Diego
for the selected people with AMD to become part of this study.
It is hoped that this research may help find a better way to save
vision from this devastating disease and address the growing public
health problem of AMD vision loss,” said Barbara Brody,
M.P.H., Clinical Professor and Director of the Division of Community
Ophthalmology. More information about the study and criteria to
participate will be provided later this spring through the Shiley
AMD ASSIST Registry Newsletter and Line of Sight Info Line (858)
822-1234.
