A diet rich in antioxidants may protect the eyes

Eating plenty of foods rich in antioxidants, such as artichokes and berries, may help protect against macular degeneration, the main cause of blindness linked with ageing.

Studies show that antioxidants break a link between two processes in the retina that together lead to macular degeneration, and that they lengthen the life of the light-sensing cells and other retinal cells, which can't be replaced.

The "destructive synergy" behind macular degeneration happens when a compound called A2E builds up and disrupts energy production in the mitochondria. The lack of energy interferes with the daily cleaning and maintenance of the light-sensing cells and other retinal cells, which leads to even more A2E. This vicious circle destroys living, irreplaceable cells in the retina.

Experiments on human, mouse and cow cells showed that antioxidants block this destructive process and protect the eye. So antioxidants may help people at risk of macular degeneration avoid it. The study was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.