Nutrients for the aging eye

Abstract

The incidence of age-related eye diseases is expected to rise with the aging of the population. Oxidation and inflammation are implicated in the etiology of these diseases. There is evidence that dietary antioxidants and anti-inflammatories may provide benefit in decreasing the risk of age-related eye disease. Nutrients of interest are vitamins C and E, β-carotene, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. While a recent survey finds that among the baby boomers (45–65 years old), vision is the most important of the five senses, well over half of those surveyed were not aware of the important nutrients that play a key role in eye health. This is evident from a national survey that finds that intake of these key nutrients from dietary sources is below the recommendations or guidelines. Therefore, it is important to educate this population and to create an awareness of the nutrients and foods of particular interest in the prevention of age-related eye disease.

Keywords:

• nutrition
• aging
• eye health

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Huifen Wang, PhD for his assistance on NHANES data retrieval and Emily S Mohn, BS for her assistance with the organization of the NHANES data. This study was supported by USDA 58-1950-7-707, Bausch and Lomb and the contribution to the research of H.M.R. of an anonymous donor. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of the US Department of Agriculture.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.