Fruits helps ward off vision problems

Eating fruits regularly helps keep away macular degeneration which is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. But according tot recent research, there appears to be no strong protective effect from vegetables, vitamins or carotenoids - the compounds that make some fruits and vegetables red, orange or yellow - as some earlier research had suggested. The study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston looked at data from 77,562 women and 40,866 men who were followed for 12 to 18 years as part of long-term studies tracking them for a variety of health issues. According to the study macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss among people 65 years and older. There are no effective treatments for the condition in which the macula - a small part of the retina - deteriorates, causing a loss of central vision. The researchers found that both men and women who consumed three or more servings of unspecified fruit a day had a 36 percent decreased risk of developing macular degeneration. Since there are a limited number of treatment options for age-related macular degeneration, clinicians and researchers have focused on identifying factors that reduce the risk and can ultimately save a person's eyesight.
The above study is a preliminary one and more research is needed in the field.

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