Age-related macular degeneration: here's how fish oil can help the condition

The incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can be reduced by about 60 percent by enriching one's weekly diet with at least one serving of fish high in Omega three. This is according to researchers from the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, U.S., who have shown how fish rich in Omega-3 counteracts the onset of this disease. Data collected during their studies, published in the journal Ophthalmology, have, in fact, shown that choosing to eat oily fish at least once a week reduces the risk of presenting with a severe form of the disease by 60 percent. This protective effect offers new hope for those suffering from this disease, which is among the leading causes of blindness over the age of 55 and for which the incidence is estimated to increase by 50 percent in the next 10 years.

Age-related macular degeneration: a disease that leads to blindness

Age-related macular degeneration is an aging-related disease that affects the retina, the innermost membrane of the eye. Specifically, the condition causes changes in the macula, the central portion of the retina that allows us to see sharply. Underlying it are changes in the structures located beneath the retina that make it difficult for nutrients and oxygen to pass into the retina. These alterations also prevent the elimination of debris of substances needed to be able to see that, instead, accumulate below the epithelium. Previous studies have shown thathigh amounts of Omega-3 are present within the retina. For this reason, researchers at Johns Hopkins University, led by Sheila West, decided to test whether a diet rich in fish could counteract the condition.

The study

West and his staff analyzed data on 2,520 individuals involved in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) Study, a survey involving men and women aged 65 to 84 years, all residing in Maryland, USA. All participants completed questionnaires about their eating habits, through which the type and amount of fish included in their diet was determined. The level of macula degeneration at the beginning of the study was, on the other hand, determined through the analysis of photographs of the inner surface of the eye. This established that 227 participants had the disease in early stages of development, 153 in intermediate stages and 68 in advanced stages. The latter corresponded to abnormal blood vessel proliferation, bleeding or loss of a large number of cells.

Omega-3 consumption: health-promoting results

Statistical analysis of the collected data unveiled that individuals who eat fish rich in Omega-3 at least once a week have a 60 percent reduced likelihood of advanced stage disease. These results are in line with the hypothesis that the presence of adequate levels of Omega-3 is important for eye health. According to the authors, further studies will clarify the exact association between the consumption of fish, shellfish, zinc and Omega-3 and the risk of age-related macular degeneration.  

Source

1. Swenor BK, Bressler S, Caulfield L, West SK, "The impact of fish and shellfish consumption on age-related macular degeneration," Ophthalmology. 2010 Dec;117(12):2395-401. Epub 2010 Jul 13