Fish for Sight

Mackerel

Intake of oily fish once a week may reduce age-related macular degeneration(AMD),a major cause of blindness and poor vision in the elderly,says a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

There are two types of AMD,wet and dry.Of the two,wet AMD is the main cause of vision loss.A team of researchers across seven European countries and co-ordinated by the London School Of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine sought to investigate the association between fish intake and omega 3 fatty acids with wet AMD,comparing people with wet AMD with controls.

In the study,participants were interviewed about their dietary habits including how much fish they ate and what type.Information on the main omega 3 fatty acids( docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ) was obtained by linking dietary data with food composition tables.The findings show that people who habitually consume oily fish at least once a week compared with less than once a week are 50 percent less likely to have AMD.

There was no benefit from consumption of non-oily white fish.There was a strong inverse association between levels of DHA and EPA and wet AMD.People in the top 25 percent of DHA and EPA levels (300 mg per day and above) were 70 percent less likely to have wet AMD.

Astrid Fletcher, Professor of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who led the study,said:
"This is the first study in Europeans to show a beneficial association on wet AMD from the consumption of oily fish and is consistent with the results from studies in the US and Australia.Two 3oz servings a week of oily fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel, provides about 500 mg of DHA and EPA per day."

The research team is not, however, recommending omega 3 supplements as the study did not investigate whether supplements would have the same benefit as dietary sources.

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Macular Degeneration is the Leading Cause of Blindness in Older Americans

In the past, macular degeneration was poorly understood and there were no treatment options. Recently, there have been dramatic improvements in the treatment of the wet type of the disease, which can result in rapid visual loss if left untreated.

Research is also being conducted to help slow down the visual loss associated with advanced dry AMD.

The macula is the center of the retina responsible for sharp vision. It is critical for tasks such as reading and driving.
Aging changes in the macula include deposits underneath the retina, called drusen, and pigment alterations that may result in reduced oxygen and nutrient exchange. As a result, retinal function is impaired and retinal tissue may be lost, in a process called atrophy. These changes constitute dry AMD, which affects 90 percent of patients with the age-related macular degeneration. Generally, dry AMD causes a very slow loss of vision. However, when atrophy is extensive or involves the center of the macula, severe loss of vision may occur.

Although there is no treatment for the slowly progressing dry type of AMD, there are some things you can do to protect your vision. If you smoke, you should try to quit, since smoking doubles your risk for developing the disease and for further loss of vision. A healthy diet that includes green leafy vegetables and low fat intake has been shown to slow down the progression of the condition as well.

A large clinical study, called the AREDS study, showed that supplemental vitamins containing high concentrations of vitamins A, C, E and zinc can slow down the progression of the condition.

Lutein and omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for the retina. A large-scale clinical study sponsored by the National Eye Institute is being conducted to determine whether these vitamins can benefit patients with AMD.

For the wet type of AMD, an exciting new drug was approved by the Federal Drug Administration in June 2006 called Lucentis. For the first time in the history of treating wet AMD, Lucentis offers a 30 percent to 40 percenOften, patients require three treatments initially, and then they are monitored. If leakage recurs, treatment is re-administered.

With all forms of AMD, there are three important guidelines.
First, it is critical to catch the disease early.
Second, it is important to start any treatments as soon as any leakage or bleeding begins to preserve as much vision as possible. This means regular eye exams are vital for anyone over age 55, especially for anyone with a family history of retinal disease.
Third, you should try to reduce your risk factors by watching your diet, avoiding smoking and second-hand smoke exposure and taking vitamin supplements if advised by your ophthalmologist.

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Eye Drug Lucentis Recommended by UK’s NICE to Treat Wet AMD

Novartis AG's Lucentis drug against wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) received a recommendation from the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for use on the National Health Service.

Lucentis should be used for about 20 pct of patients with AMD, a condition which causes sight loss and blindness, when both eyes are affected, NICE said in a statement last night.

NICE said it does not recommend the use of OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc (nasdaq: OSIP - news - people )'s rival eye treatment Macugen.

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Embryonic Stem Cell Can Cure Blindness

Human embryonic stem cell can repair damaged retinas and cure blindness, according to a British study.

They believe the technique is capable of restoring vision in the vast majority of patients with age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness among the elderly that afflicts around 14 million people in Europe.

The disease is caused by faulty retinal pigment epithelial cells, which form a supporting carpet under the light-sensitive rods and cones in the retina.

The new procedure will generate replacement retinal pigment epithelial cells from stem cells in the lab, with surgeons then injecting a small patch of new cells, measuring 4 by 6 millimeters, back into the eye.

Surgeons at Moorfields have already restored the vision of a few patients using cells harvested from their own eyes, which were moved to a new site. But this process is complicated and only a small number of cells can be moved, limiting its use.

“If it hasn’t become routine in about 10 years it would mean we haven’t succeeded,” he told reporters. “It has to be something that’s available to large numbers of people.”

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