Abstract

A GE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENeration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the developed world, accounts for more than 50% of all blindness in the United States. 1 In 2004, it was estimated that 8 million individuals had intermediate AMD, defined as bilateral drusen, and approximately 2 million had advanced AMD, either neovascular AMD or geographic atrophy. 2 Although intraocular drugs that inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor are currently available for treatment of neovascular AMD, 3 no effective therapies are proven for atrophic AMD.Without more effective ways of slowing progression, the number of persons with advanced AMD is expected to double over the next 20 years, resulting in increasing socioeconomic burden. 2 The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) demonstrated that daily oral supplementation with antioxidant vitamins and minerals reduced the risk of developing advanced AMD by 25% at 5 years. 4Animal studies 5-7 and epidemiologic studies provide a rationale for examining the potential effects of other nutrients on the development of advanced AMD.Observational studies suggest that higher dietary intake of lutein ϩ zeaxanthin, omega-3 longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]), or both are associated with a decreased risk of de-