A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Eye Institute (NEI) recommends a Mediterranean or similar diet for slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The research indicates that adherence to a Mediterranean-based diet may reduce the risk of AMD progression.
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The findings stem from data collected from two major NIH studies, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and its follow-up AREDS2. The study, led by Tiarnán Keenan, MD, PhD, a staff clinician at NEI, emphasizes the importance of nutrition at all stages of AMD to improve patient outcomes. The results were published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
AMD results from the accumulation of extracellular deposits in the macula, impairing photoreceptor function. Diet is identified as a significant risk factor, with previous studies suggesting that higher intake of omega-3 and unsaturated fats is linked to a decreased risk of progression. The authors stress that dietary modification is a non-invasive intervention that empowers patients to safeguard their visual health.
Keenan’s team reviewed data from patients enrolled in the AREDS and AREDS2 studies—participants aged 55 to 85 diagnosed with varying stages of AMD. They employed the Alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED) index to assess dietary impacts on AMD progression. The study analyzed participant diets focusing on whole fruits, vegetables, grains, and fish, while reducing red meat and highly processed foods.
Among the findings, participants with early-stage AMD in the highest aMED tertile were 21% less likely to develop intermediate AMD, while those with intermediate AMD in the same group had a 23% lower risk of progressing to more severe forms of the disease. Increased fish intake specifically correlated with a 31% risk reduction in patients with intermediate AMD.
The study concluded that adopting a Mediterranean diet, alongside appropriate supplements, can further decrease risks associated with neovascular AMD and geographic atrophy (GA). Keenan advises optometrists to use early AMD diagnoses as opportunities to encourage patients toward healthier eating patterns, emphasizing gradual changes over perfection.
The research also indicates it is never too late for patients to make dietary improvements to benefit their AMD conditions. However, smoking remains the most critical modifiable risk factor, along with maintaining physical activity and managing weight.