A number of studies have shown that eating fish regularly or taking Omega 3 fish oil capsules can help slow down the progress of macular degeneration and offers preventative benefits against developing it in the first place.

So what is Macular Degeneration?

Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of loss of vision in people over the age of 65. The macula is a small area in the centre of the retina and if the macular cells become damaged then this affects our central vision and our ability to see right in front of us.

No one knows the cause of macular degeneration although age, poor diet, genetic tendency, excessive sunlight and smoking are all believed to increase the risk. When macular degeneration occurs as a result of advancing years, it is known as age related macular degeneration or AMD.

AMD is not a painful condition and it doesn't usually lead to total loss of sight as the peripheral vision is not affected, nevertheless it can be distressing for sufferers who find that their ability to read, write, drive and perform other close visual tasks is inhibited. Early symptoms of age related macular degeneration is usually blurred or distorted vision and perhaps sensitivity to light.

How can Omega 3 help?

Fish, particularly fatty fish such as sardines, herring and salmon, contain essential nutrients that we need to survive and that we just can't find anywhere else. These are the Omega 3 fatty acids known as Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) both of which are essential for healthy brain and eye function as well as for many other processes going on in the body throughout our entire lives.

If we don't get enough of these fatty acids, and indeed most of us don't as our consumption of fish has dramatically declined in recent years, then inevitably there is a greater risk of health problems associated with a lack of Omega 3 in the diet. We know that Omega 3 is essential for healthy vision so it would be a natural assumption that eating more fish would help protect vision and this is exactly what researchers have found.

A study published in the journal of Opthalmologica in 2005 concluded that Omega 3 supplementation along with acetyl-L-carnitine and COQ10 could slow down the progress and improve visual function in people with age related macular degeneration. This was a randomised double blind placebo controlled trial involving 106 individuals with early AMD. Only 2 percent of those taking fish oil experienced a worsening of the condition compared to 17 percent in the placebo group.

An Australian study known as the Blue Mountains Study published in 2006 involved over 3,600 people aged 49 and over. After a time span of 5 years, the participants still involved were checked for signs of macular degeneration and their dietary habits were analysed. The results showed that there was a reduction in incidence of ARM (age related maculopathy) associated with eating fish at least once a week, they concluded that a diet rich in Omega 3 could protect against ARM.

There are others that have come up with similar results; however, it isn't advisable these days to overdo it on the fish consumption in order to get enough Omega 3 in the diet as there are toxins such as mercury and dioxins in fish which could affect health in other ways.

However, a daily dose of fish oil and that is fish oil that is pure and free from toxins is safe to take and may lower your risk of developing AMD, might improve visual function in people with early AMD and could possibly slow down or even halt the progress of AMD.

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