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Obesity & Eye Health Research from Harvard Medical School suggests that being overweight and eating a poor diet may be dangerous to our eye health by increasing the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment among older individuals in the United States. It is characterized by a breakdown of cells in the retina of the eye, which leads to loss of vision, or "holes" in the center of the visual field. Researchers propose that the levels of potentially protective nutrients in the retina are low. They suggest two possible reasons: that excess body fat could lead to excess storage of fat-soluble nutrients and/or that the consumption of potentially protective nutrients is low. Two nutrients in particular, lutein and zeaxanthin, are believed to help protect against AMD. These protective nutrients are part of a larger group of eye-protecting antioxidants - vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and zinc. Lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the retina at the back of the eye. The amount of lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina is measured as "macular pigment density." Higher macular pigment density may protect the retina. However, some studies suggest that men and women with higher body mass tend to have lower macular pigment density. |