Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Patients with early Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) improved when taking a combination of nutrients. The nutrients were acetyl-L-carnitine, omega-3 fatty acids, and coenzyme Q10.¹

The double-blind trial was controlled with a soy oil placebo. The study included over 100 patients with AMD. They were assigned to take two capsules per day for 12 months of either the treatment capsule or the placebo. Nearly all of the subjects who took the supplements for one year showed significant improvement in visual acuity (Snellen Chart & ETDRS chart), foveal sensitivity and changes in the back of the eye.  The fovea is the only part of the eye where 100% visual acuity is possible. Only 2% of these subjects had clinically significant worsening of their condition. But 17% of the control group who received a placebo got worse.

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Middle-aged people and seniors are far more likely to develop Macular Degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy than those in their youth. It is true that some eye diseases strike the young. These tend to be genetically-based diseases, and they are rare. The incidence of eye diseases in the United States goes up dramatically with age:
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Retinal Vein Occlusion is the blockage of veins that drain blood from the retina in the eye. The eye circulatory system depends on releasing blood back to the heart after it has nourished the retina. When the vein is blocked, hemorrhaging occurs, damaging the retina. It is typically caused by atherosclerosis, a common condition especially in older people that damages the arteries. “Occlusion” means the blockage or closing of a blood vessel.

Symptoms and How Retinal Vein Occlusion Is Diagnosed

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Rod-Cone Dystrophy is a genetically-based deterioration of vision caused by damage to the photoreceptors in the eye. Rods and cones are the photoreceptor cells in the retina that give us daytime and night time vision. Genes that provide the blueprint for manufacturing proteins crucial to the eye’s rods and cones are damaged. Without enough of these proteins, vision deteriorates and blindness may result.

Much of the current research into rod-cone dystrophy is focused on genetic research. Scientists are busy identifying the faulty genes and how they function. Stem cells or other genetic therapy offers hope for a treatment and possibly cure in the future. In the meantime, nutritional and lifestyle choices may
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Age-Related Macular Denegation is a significant cause of vision loss that can often be managed and even improved through targeted nutritional support. It affects mostly people over age 50. While the precise cause of ARMD is not clear, oxidative damage is suspected as being a major factor. It strikes the elderly possibly due to poor diet and nutritional intake over a lifetime, less efficient absorption of nutrients and poor circulation as the body ages. The care needed by vision-impaired elderly could become overwhelming. Let’s take a look at some of the newest research in preventing macular degeneration, as well as treatment and support options.
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Researchers have found that there is a correlation between a larger brain volume and higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. This suggests that the typical loss of brain cells and volume that occurs with age can be slowed with diet changes and supplements to increase omega-3 intake.

Two types of omega-3 fatty acids in particular–eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)–were examined
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A new study shows that omega-3 fatty acids could help with wet macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is expected to increase by 50% in older adults in industrialized countries by 2020. As the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly, it is a condition of serious significance. The macula is the central part of the retina. While it makes up only about 2% of the total retina, the brain devotes half of its visual processing network to information from the macula. It is responsible for central vision. The retina is a thin layer of nerves
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Researchers at Ohio State University examined the effect of high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood of postmenopausal women. The study found that this showed a lower risk of hip fractures in the patients.

Hip fracture and bone loss issues are often increased by inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids are already known to lower inflammation. The study thus posed the question of whether omega-3 fatty acid intake might lower fracture risk.
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The first implanted device for adults with retinitis pigmentosa has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Called the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System, the device includes a tiny video camera, a transmitter (on a pair of glasses), and a video processing unit. The patient’s retina is replaced with a prosthesis. The camera wirelessly transmits visual information to the retinal prosthesis to improve vision.

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A significant study has found that the deleterious effects of traumatic brain injury in American football players can be mitigated using a natural regimen of weight loss (if needed), fish oil, vitamins, and brain-enhancing supplements including ginkgo biloba. The positive results could help reverse brain damage in contact sport athletes, alcohol and drug addicts, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and people who have had brain damage from concussions.

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