| People over fifty are those most commonly | | | | eight percent. Eating fatty fish, which are rich in |
| affected by macular degeneration (MD). Macular | | | | Omega 3 fatty acids, twice weekly was shown to |
| degeneration is the most common cause of | | | | be advantageous for early and late stage macular |
| blindness for persons over fifty. MD is a loss of | | | | degeneration. It was also beneficial for those who |
| vision in the central field of vision. | | | | had advanced MD. |
| According to studies by the National Eye Institute | | | | The new study produced strong evidence that |
| the effects of macular degeneration can be | | | | certain nutrients could help prevent or slow |
| avoided or reduced by an increase of Omega 3 | | | | progression of dry macular degeneration. In the |
| fatty acids in the diet. These Omega 3 fatty acids | | | | new study researchers observed at over one |
| can reduce the effects of MD by as much as | | | | thousand eight hundred people who had a |
| thirty percent. | | | | moderate to high risk of advanced MD. |
| MD, also known as age related macular | | | | Over 12 years it was found that those people |
| degeneration affects the central area of vision | | | | who had the highest levels of Omega-3 fats in |
| and leaves only peripheral vision. It is estimated | | | | their diet had a thirty percent lower risk of |
| that at least two million Americans are affected | | | | developing both types of macular degeneration |
| by macular degeneration. Worldwide this figure | | | | compared with people who had the lowest |
| could be as high as thirty million. The incidence of | | | | amount of Omega 3 fats in their diet. |
| this disease is expected to rise significantly as the | | | | The body cannot produce Omega 3 fats itself, |
| Baby Boomer generation ages. The loss of central | | | | they must be contained in the diet. The most |
| vision caused by MD makes it difficult or | | | | common source of these fats is cold water oily |
| impossible to read and recognize faces. Usually | | | | or fatty fish such as sardines, tuna and mackerel. |
| there is enough peripheral vision to allow other | | | | Omega 3 fish oil capsules are an excellent |
| activities required for daily life. | | | | alternative source of Omega 3 fats. They are rich |
| There are two types of MD known as wet and | | | | in the Omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA and are |
| dry macular degeneration. The dry form being the | | | | free of pollutants such as mercury and heavy |
| most common accounts for more than eighty | | | | metals which can occur in fish. |
| five percent of all cases. This dry form of MD is | | | | The manufacturing process is known as molecular |
| caused by a slow degeneration of the central | | | | distillation and this process removes the pollutants |
| portion of the retina, the macula, which is the | | | | while concentrating the beneficial Omega 3 fats. |
| area of central vision. Wet macula degeneration | | | | The results is capsules that are easy to take, |
| occurs when the blood vessels under the macula | | | | cost effective and rich in the health promoting |
| enlarge and leak and cause scaring of the macula. | | | | fatty acids. |
| Wet MD usually causes extreme vision loss. | | | | A course of Omega 3 fish oil capsules is not an |
| The most recently published study in the | | | | overnight solution but a long term commitment to |
| American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that | | | | health. Start a course of Omega 3 fish oil capsules |
| a higher consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids | | | | today to avoid the effects of macular |
| could reduce the risk of MD by as much as thirty | | | | degeneration. |