My staff has been with me for many years, and most of the time reflect my personality, style of practice, and Do vitamins or zinc supplements help macular degeneration?

Good Nutrition

Good nutrition requires a diet with a healthy mixture of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Probably no part of our diet has been as misused or misunderstood as our requirement for vitamins and minerals.

Protein is needed for the building blocks and chemical machinery of our bodies; carbohydrates are needed for immediate fuel and energy; fats are needed for long term storage of fuel and energy. Vitamins are organic compounds that our bodies cannot manufacture and are essential for maintaining good health. Minerals, in small amounts, are required for the body's enzyme system (enzymes assist chemical reactions such as the breakdown of food into energy).

What do vitamins and minerals (particularly zinc) have to do with macular degeneration?

There are different kinds of macular problems, but the most common is age-related macular degeneration. Exactly why it develops is not known, and no treatment has been uniformly effective.

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe visual loss in people over 65 (see the American Academy of Ophthalmology brochure on macular degeneration for more information).

Zinc

Zinc, one of the most common trace minerals in our body, is highly concentrated in the eye, particularly in the retina and tissues surrounding the macula. Zinc is necessary for the action of over 100 enzymes, including chemical reactions in the retina.

Studies have shown that some older people have low levels of zinc in their blood, either because of poor diet or poor absorption of zinc from food. Because zinc is important for the health of the macula, some doctors think that supplements of zinc in the diet may slow down the process of macular degeneration. But the scientific studies are not complete and there is no agreement among doctors concerning the value of zinc supplements. It is possible that too much zinc may interfere with other trace minerals such as copper.

Vitamins

Normal chemical reactions from light in the eye activate oxygen which may cause macular damage. Some vitamins function as antioxidants, chemicals which work against this activated oxygen, and perhaps protect the macula from damage. It is claimed that antioxidant vitamins (vitamin A, C and E) can help slow down macular degeneration and other aging factors. As in the controversy over zinc, there is no agreement that these antioxidants actually help macular degeneration.

Should I take antioxidant vitamins or zinc for macular degeneration?

The first step to overall good health is a balanced diet. Vitamins and minerals are commonly given as supplements to the diet in amounts determined by recommended daily allowances. These supplementary dosages cause no apparent harm and are commonly available. But large doses of vitamins, called therapeutic doses, in amounts many times the daily recommended allowances, may not be completely safe.

Research is still in progress about nutrition and macular degeneration. It is best to consult with your ophthalmologist to decide whether it is advisable for you to begin such treatment.

Why are regular medical eye examinations important for everyone?

Eye disease can occur at any age. Many eye diseases do not cause symptoms until the disease has done damage. Since most blindness is preventable if diagnosed and treated early, regular medical examinations by an ophthalmologist are very important.