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Throughout the ages, people had different ways of caring for the eyes. The Sioux Indians blew the dust of bezoar stones into the eyes to strengthen sight and improve the intellect. Seamen wore gold earrings for generations to sharpen vision. Bee products like royal jelly and propolis - which can cause allergic and other adverse reactions ' are also touted by some 'health food' advocates as a cure for poor eyesight.

The most prominent eye quack was the late Dr. William Horatio Bates who wrote 'The Cure of Imperfect Eyesight by Treatment Without Glasses' in 1920. In that book, Bates extolled the virtues of eye exercises that he claimed could cure several eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). One exercise Bates encouraged people to do was to stare directly at the sun for several minutes to improve vision!

Fortunately, there's a better and safer way of improving vision and preventing AMD, the most common cause of blindness in people over 50. Researchers believe certain vitamins and minerals may protect the eyes from this dreaded disease.

This good news comes from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Group which found that high doses of antioxidants can reduce the risk of AMD by up to 25 percent. In a randomized trial, a total of 4,757 patients were divided into four groups. The first group had no AMD; the second group had early AMD; the third had intermediate AMD; and the fourth group had advanced AMD. Patients received a placebo, an antioxidant regimen consisting of vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, zinc or antioxidants plus zinc. The antioxidants were given at doses higher than the recommended daily adult requirement.

Results were encouraging. After seven years of follow up, Dr. Neil M. Bressler, professor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, reported that patients in the third and fourth groups who took antioxidants plus zinc lowered their risk of AMD by 25 percent. The risk of vision loss was also reduced in the same group. Furthermore, no serious side effects were associated with the treatment.

The above trial echoes the results of early studies that have linked antioxidant use to a reduced risk of AMD. As early as 1988, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that those who ate vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables were protected from AMD. Subsequent trials found that carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, and antioxidant vitamins were responsible for this effect.

Although the mechanism is not fully understood, researchers believe that concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin in the macula (the light-sensitive tissue at the center of the retina that provides clear central vision) are strongly influenced by the dietary intake of these nutrients. These nutrients apparently increase the density of the macular pigment, protecting it from the harmful effects of blue light. The antioxidant vitamins C, E and zinc also shield the retina from the harmful effects of free radicals, including the development of AMD.

Vitamin A is found in green leafy vegetables and yellow or orange fruits. Best sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits and vegetables while vitamin E is present in olive and vegetable oils, some grains and a variety of nuts. As for zinc, you'll find it in beef, cereals, beans, cheese, and fish. If you're not getting enough of these nutrients from your diet, it pays to take a vitamin supplement to reduce your risk of AMD.