Vitamins, Zinc May Cut Risk of Vision Loss

Researchers have good news for the 1.7 million Americans age 60 and older who have lost part of their vision from age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

A new nationwide clinical study finds that a high-dose combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and zinc, taken daily, can reduce the risk of developing advanced stages of AMD by as much as 25 percent.

This regimen of dietary supplements is "the first effective treatment to slow the progression of the disease," reports Paul A. Sieving, M.D., director of the National Eye Institute (NEI), which sponsored the study. The NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.

The study, published in the October issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology, consisted of 4,757 participants ages 55 to 80.

The daily dosages of the dietary supplements used in the study were 500 milligrams of vitamin C, 400 IUs of vitamin E and 15 milligrams of beta-carotene, all of which are antioxidants. The daily dosage of zinc was 80 milligrams, plus 2 milligrams of copper, which may be depleted by zinc.

These levels, except that of copper, exceed those recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As a result, researchers caution that people shouldn't consume the supplements in these amounts without first checking with their doctor. The supplements are available without prescription.

Researchers point out that the same supplements taken for the same length of time have no significant effect on cataracts. Nor do they help people with early stages of AMD.

AMD begins with yellow deposits under the retina, which can be detected in an eye exam. Although people with early AMD don't suffer vision loss, those with advanced AMD lose the sharp, central vision required for reading, driving and recognizing the faces of friends.