Lee Swanson Research Update

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids are Linked to Healthier Eyes

August 2008

An increased consumption of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) found in fish reduced the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by about 70%, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

“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 results from studies in the USA and Australia,” said lead researcher Astrid Fletcher, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Indeed, only recently a meta-analysis by Australian scientists reported that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38% (Archives of Ophthalmology 126:826-833, 2008).

AMD is a degenerative retinal disease that causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. Early detection is cited as a means of prevention so that treatment or rehabilitation can be undertaken early enough. However, links to diet have also been underscored. There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Of the two, wet AMD is the main cause of vision loss.

And since omega-3 fatty acids, and particularly DHA, play an important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina, studies have already reported that omega-3 may protect against the onset of AMD.

Fletcher and co-workers recruited 105 people (65 years old) with wet AMD and 2,170 healthy people to act as controls, and compared their dietary habits using questionnaires.

Habitual consumption of at least one serving of oily fish per week was associated with a 50% reduction in the risk of developing wet AMD, said the researchers, compared to people who consumed less than one portion per week. Moreover, people who consumed at least 300 mg per day of DHA and EPA were 68% and 71% less likely to have wet AMD, than those with lower consumption.

Phytomedicine 15(8):595-601, 2008

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