Daily Supplements May Slow 'Dry' Form of Macular Degeneration

• July 22, 2024
• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

Daily supplements can slow loss of vision related to late-stage “dry” age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a new study finds.

The rate of dry AMD progression into a key eye region slowed by about 55% over an average three years for late-stage patients who took a daily blend of antioxidants and minerals, researchers reported July 16 in the journal Ophthalmology.

Prior results have shown that supplements slow the progression from intermediate to late AMD, said lead researcher Dr. Tiarnan Keenan, a staff clinician with the National Eye Institute.

“Our analysis shows that taking … supplements can also slow disease progression in people with late dry AMD,” Keenan said in an institute news release.

The supplements include the antioxidants vitamin C, E, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, along with the minerals zinc and copper.

Dry AMD is the most common form of macular degeneration, affecting nine out of 10 people with the eye condition, the Cleveland Clinic says.

Dry AMD occurs when small yellow deposits of fatty proteins called drusen start to develop along the light-sensing retina at the back of a person’s eye, researchers explained in background notes.

These deposits cause the loss of light-sensitive cells in the retina, a condition called “geographic atrophy” that slowly expands over time. As a result, people progressively lose their central vision.

The new study focused on the fovea, a small depression at the center of the retina that is responsible for sharp central vision.

Many people with dry AMD first develop geographic atrophy outside the fovea, and only lose their central vision when AMD encroaches into the fovea, researchers noted.

For the new study, researchers reviewed data on more than 1,200 participants in two clinical trials testing the effectiveness of supplements to slow AMD progression. The trials were funded by the federal government.

The analysis showed that for people whose dry AMD hadn’t affected the fovea, taking supplements could slow the progression of the eye disease to that crucial region.

“Our high acuity central vision is essential for tasks like reading and driving,” Keenan said. “Given that there are few therapeutic options for people with late-stage dry AMD to retain or restore their vision, antioxidant supplementation is a simple step that may slow central vision loss, even for those with late disease.”

Researchers plan to conduct a follow-up clinical trial to confirm these results, Keenan added.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on dry age-related macular degeneration.

SOURCE: National Eye Institute, news release, July 16, 2024

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