Published in

Karger Publishers, Ophthalmologica, 1-2(238), p. 1-5, 2017

DOI: 10.1159/000473865

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Nutrition, Genes, and Age-Related Macular Degeneration: What Have We Learned from the Trials?

Journal article published in 2017 by Emily Y. Chew ORCID
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and AREDS2 provided evidence for treating persons with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with antioxidant vitamins and minerals to reduce the risk of development of late AMD. The AREDS2 data suggest that the beta-carotene in the original AREDS supplements be replaced by lutein and zeaxanthin, providing a safer drug for those who are smokers or former smokers. Even though consuming fish reduced the risk of AMD in observational studies, the AREDS2 results showed that omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid) had no beneficial effect on AMD. Despite the major progress in the discovery of gene variants associated with AMD, the use of genetic testing to predict disease has not been clinically useful. The use of genetic testing prior to AMD therapies such as administering AREDS supplements is not recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and other organizations.