Lowering the risk of macular degeneration with diet

The risk of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness, can be significantly lowered with a vitamin-rich diet.
Macular degeneration is the result of abnormal blood cells growing in the eye, which then leak fluid that damages the center of the retina and blurs vision. It is the most common cause of severe vision loss in Americans 60 and older.
The diets and vision quality of more than 4,000 seniors were examined over the course of an eight-year study. Patients whose diets included foods rich in zinc, beta carotene and vitamins C and E were 35 percent less likely to develop macular degeneration, compared to those whose diets lacked any one of the aforementioned nutrients.
Those whose diets were lacking in all of those nutrients increased their risks by 20 percent.
Foods rich in vitamin E include whole grains, vegetable oil, eggs and nuts. Zinc is found in meat, poultry, fish, whole grains and dairy products, while carrots, kale and spinach are the best sources of beta carotene. Vitamin C can be obtained from citrus fruits, green peppers, broccoli and potatoes.