Our vision is vitally important to all aspects of our lives. Yet it is something we often take for granted, thinking more of our weight or physical features. There is a good amount of research regarding Omega 3's and our eyes. Below are a few interesting examples.
A subsection of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) supported the beneficial effects of omega-3 consumption for preventing age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the over 50s.
“If these results are generalizable, they may guide the development of low-cost and easily implemented preventive interventions for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration,” wrote the researchers.
“If these results are generalizable, they may guide the development of low-cost and easily implemented preventive interventions for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration,” wrote the researchers.
It is known that omega-3 fatty acids, and particularly DHA, play an important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina, and studies have already reported that omega-3 may protect against the onset of AMD. A meta-analysis published in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology found that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38 per cent. Scientists from the University of Melbourne in Australia reported that the benefits were most pronounced against late AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD. The new study supports these earlier findings. Researchers looked at a sub-section of 1,837 people participating in the phase 3 Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). All the participants were considered to be at a moderate-to-high risk of advanced AMD.
Over 12 years of study, the researchers found that intakes of omega-3, estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire, were related to both wet and dry AMD risk.
Over 12 years of study, the researchers found that intakes of omega-3, estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire, were related to both wet and dry AMD risk.
"The 12-year incidence of central geographic atrophy and neovascular AMD in participants at moderate-to-high-risk of these outcomes was lowest for those reporting the highest consumption of omega-3 fatty acids," concluded the researchers."
Being an observational study, the researchers did not consider the mechanism. However, an earlier mouse study partly funded by the National Eye Institute noted lower levels of inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4, and higher levels of anti-inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin D2 (American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 175, pp.799-807).
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27594
“Omega-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and 12-y incidence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and central geographic atrophy: a prospective cohort study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study”
Authors: J.P. SanGiovanni, E. Agron, A.D. Meleth, G.F. Reed, R.D. Sperduto, T.E. Clemons, E.Y. Chew
Omega-3 may prevent blindness in the elderly
A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may prevent the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the over-50s, suggests a new study. Researchers from the National Eye Institute in Bethesda found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids could retard the progression of lesions in a mouse model of AMD. The fatty acids were also associated with an improvement in some lesions.
"The results in these mice are in line with the epidemiological studies of AMD risk reduction by long chain omega-3 fatty acids," wrote the researchers in the American Journal of Pathology.
It is known that omega-3 fatty acids, and particularly DHA, play an important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina, and studies have already reported that omega-3 may protect against the onset of AMD. A meta-analysis published in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology found that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38 per cent. Scientists from the University of Melbourne in Australia reported that the benefits were most pronounced against late (more advanced) AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD.
AMD is a degenerative retinal disease that causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. It is the leading cause of legal blindness for people over 55 years of age in the Western world, according to AMD Alliance International
Source: American Journal of Pathology
Volume 175, Pages 799-807, doi:10.2353/ajpath.2009.090089
A High Omega-3 Fatty Acid Diet Reduces Retinal Lesions in a Murine Model of Macular Degeneration
Authors: J. Tuo, R.J. Ross, A.A. Herzlich, D. Shen, X. Ding, M. Zhou, S.L. Coon, N. Hussein, N. Salem Jr, C.-C. Chan
New study support DHA benefit for eye health
Doses of 0.32 and 0.64 percent DHA led to improvements in eye health of infants, compared to infants fed non-supplemented formula, according to new results published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"The DHA Intake and Measurement of Neural Development (DIAMOND) is the first double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, prospective, dose-response study of DHA in term infant formula," wrote the researchers, led by Eileen Birch from the Texas-based Retina Foundation of the Southwest.
Infant formula is a highly emotive area, with watchdogs keeping a close eye on companies' marketing tactics to prevent them from drifting towards taking the position that their products as preferable to breast-feeding. Mother’s milk is high in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA. While it is agreed that breastfeeding is the best way to ensure an infant receives the nutrients it needs in its first months, formulas are indispensable in cases where mothers are unable to feed their children - be it for health or logistical reasons. Health expert agree that effective infant formulas must contain significant levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids.
European food safety authority to expand health statements for DHA
The study follows recent modifications of permissible language backed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for DHA-related brain and eye health claims for infants. Further, the study further validates this oversight body’s decision to liberalize DHA health claims. EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) said DHA levels of 100mg of per day were appropriate for 7-24 month-old infants along with 200mg per day for pregnant and lactating women. Many specialists feel that women should take significantly higher levels if they are pregnant, are breast feeding, or plan on becoming pregnant in the near future. The DHA claims relating to eye health stated: “DHA intake can contribute to normal development of the eye of the foetus, infant and young children”, and “DHA intake can contribute to the visual development of the infant”.
Birch and her co-workers enrolled 244 healthy formula-fed infants between one and nine days of age, and born in Kansas and Dallas. The infants were randomly assigned them to one of four groups. When the infants reached 12 months of age, measures of the clarity of the infants’ vision showed that those fed a DHA-supplemented formula had significantly better vision than infants fed the control formula.
"Our data speak directly to the safety and tolerance profiles of DHA levels as high as 0.96% of fatty acids in infant formula," report the researchers. "The safety and tolerance of these higher DHA concentrations was expected, because they are within the range of DHA concentrations found in human milk worldwide."
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28557
"The DIAMOND (DHA Intake And Measurement Of Neural Development) Study: a double-masked, randomized controlled clinical trial of the maturation of infant visual acuity as a function of the dietary level of docosahexaenoic acid"
Doses of 0.32 and 0.64 percent DHA led to improvements in eye health of infants, compared to infants fed non-supplemented formula, according to new results published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"The DHA Intake and Measurement of Neural Development (DIAMOND) is the first double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, prospective, dose-response study of DHA in term infant formula," wrote the researchers, led by Eileen Birch from the Texas-based Retina Foundation of the Southwest.
Infant formula is a highly emotive area, with watchdogs keeping a close eye on companies' marketing tactics to prevent them from drifting towards taking the position that their products as preferable to breast-feeding. Mother’s milk is high in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA. While it is agreed that breastfeeding is the best way to ensure an infant receives the nutrients it needs in its first months, formulas are indispensable in cases where mothers are unable to feed their children - be it for health or logistical reasons. Health expert agree that effective infant formulas must contain significant levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids.
European food safety authority to expand health statements for DHA
The study follows recent modifications of permissible language backed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for DHA-related brain and eye health claims for infants. Further, the study further validates this oversight body’s decision to liberalize DHA health claims. EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) said DHA levels of 100mg of per day were appropriate for 7-24 month-old infants along with 200mg per day for pregnant and lactating women. Many specialists feel that women should take significantly higher levels if they are pregnant, are breast feeding, or plan on becoming pregnant in the near future. The DHA claims relating to eye health stated: “DHA intake can contribute to normal development of the eye of the foetus, infant and young children”, and “DHA intake can contribute to the visual development of the infant”.
Birch and her co-workers enrolled 244 healthy formula-fed infants between one and nine days of age, and born in Kansas and Dallas. The infants were randomly assigned them to one of four groups. When the infants reached 12 months of age, measures of the clarity of the infants’ vision showed that those fed a DHA-supplemented formula had significantly better vision than infants fed the control formula.
"Our data speak directly to the safety and tolerance profiles of DHA levels as high as 0.96% of fatty acids in infant formula," report the researchers. "The safety and tolerance of these higher DHA concentrations was expected, because they are within the range of DHA concentrations found in human milk worldwide."
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28557
"The DIAMOND (DHA Intake And Measurement Of Neural Development) Study: a double-masked, randomized controlled clinical trial of the maturation of infant visual acuity as a function of the dietary level of docosahexaenoic acid"
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