Study: Eating Fish Helps Protect Eyesight
(Chicago, AP, 7/10/06)

Two new observational studies indicate that fish may prevent age-related macular degeneration, which starts with blurring in the center of the field of vision and can progress to blindness. In one study, Dr. Johanna Seddon of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, and team, analyzed diet-related feedback gathered from 681 elderly American men and concluded that those who ate fish twice a week had a significantly lower risk of the disease than those who ate less or no fish. Seddon noted that the men whose eyes benefited most, not only ate more omega-3’s, but also consumed less omega-6 fatty acids, like those found in vegetable oils and baked goods. In the other study, researchers tracking 2,335 Australian adults for five years found that eating fish just once a week was linked with a 40% reduction in macular degeneration risk. Scientists speculate that consuming fish benefits the eyes because the omega-3’s may neutralize free radicals in the eye, prevent the formation of new blood vessels and/or reduce inflammation.

(Archives of Ophthalmology, July 2003)