Eating foods high in specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants may help prevent geographic atrophy progression when paired with doctor-recommended treatments.
Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a chronic eye condition affecting 1 in 8 people age 60 or older worldwide. GA does not cause total blindness, but it can greatly impair your central vision, causing blind spots in the center of your vision that can make it difficult to read, drive, recognize faces, and see in low light.
While diet can’t cure GA, smart food choices may help slow its progression. “Foods that are linked to better overall health are also linked to better eye health,” says Nimesh A. Patel, MD, the director of pediatric retina at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Research supports the connection between healthy food and healthy eyes: People with GA who followed a Mediterranean-style diet (an eating pattern rich in healthy fats, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains) for three years saw less eye damage than those who didn’t eat a Mediterranean diet.
So which foods tend to be best for geographic atrophy? Here are six options to incorporate into a healthy-eye diet. You should also be sure to follow any treatment recommendations from your healthcare provider.
Leafy greens like spinach are packed with the healthy-eye nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin. These are carotenoids, a group of plant compounds that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors, and they are especially helpful for preventing and slowing the progression of GA.
“Lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the macula, which is the very center part of your retina, and that is the most important area for vision. It’s also, unfortunately, the area where geographic atrophy tends to hit,” Dr. Patel says.
Thanks to their antioxidant properties, lutein and zeaxanthin help protect the macula from oxidative stress (an imbalance between antioxidants and cell-damaging molecules known as free radicals) and help absorb harmful blue and ultraviolet light.
The recommended daily intake of lutein is 10 milligrams (mg), while zeaxanthin is 2 mg. Two cups of spinach (roughly the amount found in a salad) provides 1,500 micrograms (mcg), which is 1.5 mg, of combined lutein and zeaxanthin — a step in the right direction in meeting the recommendation.
Oysters are one of the richest food sources of zinc, with nearly 6 mg per oyster, which is 55 percent of the daily value (DV) for men. (The DV is the recommended amount of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day.) Zinc is a mineral that’s a component of the AREDS2 supplement, a dietary supplement that was developed to slow the progression of AMD. AREDS2 been shown to reduce the risk of intermediate AMD progressing to advanced AMD, possibly preventing vision loss.
“Without enough zinc, oxidative stress and inflammation can hit harder, leaving the retina more vulnerable to GA,” says Bess Berger, RDN, founder of Nutrition by Bess, a private nutrition practice in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Citrus fruits like oranges are among the best sources of vitamin C. This water-soluble vitamin is a potent antioxidant and helps neutralize macula-damaging free radicals. Vitamin C is an ingredient in the AREDS2 supplement, which can help slow the progression of geographic atrophy.
A single orange packs 83 mg of vitamin C — that’s 92 percent of the DV.
Tomatoes are another great source of vitamin C — roughly 20 mg, which is 23 percent of the DV, per whole tomato. They also provide 3,520 mcg of lycopene, a carotenoid that may help protect your eyes from oxidative stress and inflammation, two factors that contribute to progression of GA.
Fatty fish like salmon supply omega-3 fatty acids, a class of polyunsaturated fatty acids that are associated with numerous health benefits, including vision support.
“There have been some observational studies suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids can be helpful in supporting retina cell membranes,” Patel says.
In particular, the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are found in animal foods such as fish, may have eye-protective effects due to their anti-inflammatory and tissue-repairing properties. In a study of 21 people with an eye disease (eight with dry age-related macular degeneration) found that those who took a supplement containing 915 mg of EPA and DHA for 24 weeks saw greater improvements in visual acuity than those who took a placebo.
One small fillet of salmon (140 grams) provides 1,200 mg of EPA and 1,600 mg of DHA, along with nearly 1 mg (6 percent of the DV) of zinc.
Nuts provide vitamin E, and almonds are one of the best sources. In fact, 1 ounce (oz) of unsalted almonds provides nearly 7 mg (45 percent of the DV) of this fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, helping protect the eyes from oxidative stress.
“Think of it as a shield that keeps free radicals from chipping away at your eye,” Berger says.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins may help slow geographic atrophy progression.
The best foods for GA include those that naturally contain vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and lycopene.
Be sure to pair a healthy diet with any treatments recommended by your healthcare provider for the best protection against further eye damage.
