Our eyes, just like the rest of our body, need proper nutrition to stay healthy and functioning at their best. Two very important eye nutrients are lutein (LOO-teen) and zeaxanthin (zee-ah-ZAN-thin), both types of carotenoids (kuh-RAH-teh-noids). Lutein and zeaxanthin are yellow to red pigments found in certain vegetables like spinach, kale, turnip greens, collard greens and squash. These essential nutrients have shown in a number of studies to either help prevent or slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
One of the most recent studies by the National Eye Institute evaluated certain nutrients, including lutein and zeaxanthin, to determine their effect on macular degeneration and other eye diseases. During the 5-year study period, the participants with early signs of macular degeneration who took a nutritional supplement every day containing 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin had a 10 to 25 percent reduced risk of AMD progression.
The reason these findings are so important is that these nutrients are something we can control and track. Used at many ophthalmology clinics across the country, the MPOD (Macular Pigment Optical Density) device measures whether you have enough of these nutrients in your retina. Thus, an ophthalmologist can track your progression and based upon these measurements, can recommend a change in your supplementation.
If you are concerned about macular degeneration or want to know more about the MPOD, please contact us.