The visual symptoms of AMD involve loss of central vision. While peripheral vision is unaffected, one loses the sharp, straight-ahead vision necessary for driving, reading, recognizing faces, and generally looking at detail. Imagine being able to see a clock on the wall but unable to make out the time or unable to read because you could not see parts of words on the page. Promising AMD research is being done on many fronts. Both doctors and the public have shown growing interest in the relationship between diet and health.
Good nutrition depends on a healthy mixture of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins are organic compounds that our bodies cannot manufacture but are essential for maintaining good health. The eye, like any other part of the body, benefits from a healthy diet. Although the exact causes of macular degeneration are not understood, there is some evidence that vitamins and minerals may play a preventive role. Macular degeneration is damage or breakdown of the macula, the small part of the retina responsible for central vision. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe visual loss in people over 65.