How Dangerous Is Your Barbeque? - By Belinda Redden - Optomotrist

Well, yes and no. There are genetic risk factors which we can’t control. Some people are more susceptible to oxidative stress and hence macular degeneration. A family history may indicate a genetic susceptibility. Then there is the gender issue, females are statistically more likely to develop AMD.

Environmental Risk

The other group of risk factors are environmental, which we are increasingly understanding and can control or manage. The evidence is pointing to the availability of specific antioxidants as the natural defence against AMD. Two antioxidants which are found in high concentrations in photoreceptors of healthy eyes are Lutein and Zeaxanthin which is formed from Lutein in the body. Their role is to reduce oxidative stress and protect the sensitive nerve fibre layer from specific wavelengths of light. Studies have found the levels of these antioxidants to be 32% lower in AMD patients than in healthy eyes.

The antioxidant levels found in the nerve fibre layer decline with age and are further reduced by smoking, alcohol, excessive exposure to light, and general environmental pollution. When you compound this with the modern western diet, high in fat and low in antioxidants, you begin to understand why AMD is becoming so common and how we can help ourselves. How’s that barbeque looking now? A lovely bright sunny day, a cold beer in one hand, a charred sausage in the other, all enjoyed while standing in a pall of smoke, and finished off with another beer and a cigarette!

Smoking

Of all the environmental risk factors for AMD, smoking is the most serious. Smokers are three to four times more likely to develop AMD than non-smokers. Smoking destroys the body’s stores of antioxidatives and damages the blood supply to the photoreceptors. In Australia cigarette packets now carry the warning ‘Smoking makes you blind’ instead of ‘Smoking kills’. However, people still continue to smoke and we are all subjected to passive smoking at some time.

Sunlight, specifically blue light, is damaging. As we lose our natural antioxidants with age, more blue light is able to travel through the eye and reach the photoreceptors. Excessive exposure to sunlight without sun protection can contribute to AMD. Specific filters are becoming available to reduce exposure to blue light for people who spend large amounts of time outdoors.

Diet Issues

Diet is now being hotly debated. Many studies show a dietary link between AMD and the consumption of antioxidants. The average western diet provides less than half the recommended daily intake. We could all improve our diet; many fruits and vegetables contain high levels of Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Kale is particularly good, with 24mg of Lutein in 80g of kale. Blueberries, strawberries, prunes, plums, oranges, red grapes, peas and spinach are also high on the list.

Vitamin supplements are increasingly being recommended for prevention of AMD at the very earliest signs or when there are other risk factors. Some studies, although not widely accepted as yet, have shown improvement in the vision of AMD patients with specific high dose vitamin treatments, but as with all treatments high dose vitamins must only be taken after consideration of a patient’s general health.

It is especially important with diabetics and smokers to consult a qualified medical practitioner before taking vitamin supplements. I cannot stress too strongly that people should not self-medicate with high dose vitamins. Some vitamins have been linked to cancer in smokers and can alter the effectiveness of other prescribed medications.

We can, however, all take a good look at our diet and life styles and, with a few modifications, help ourselves to long healthy lives with good eyesight.