Nutrition Can Make a Difference for Macular Degeneration.

The cells in the center of your retina, an area called the macula, are responsible for your most acute vision—your central vision. If those cells slowly degenerate, your eve-sight becomes more and more blurry. Eventually, there may be a black hole in the center of everything you see, and finally, almost all of your sight can fall into that black hole.
Most conventional doctors will probably tell you that there is nothing you can do about this disease. Nothing to slow the degeneration of the cells. Nothing to prevent the possibility of blindness. And certainly nothing to reverse the problem.

They're wrong, say alternative practitioners. "Macular degeneration may be stabilized or reversed with nutritional intervention," says Marc Grossman, O.D., an optometrist, licensed acupuncturist, and codirector of the Integral Health Center in Rye and New Fait/, New York. And the single most important nutrient to prevent or treat it is lutein.

LUTEIN: The Best Nutritional Treatment
"Everyone over the age of 50 should be taking lutein supplements," Dr. Grossman says. That's because many scientific studies have shown that regular intake of the nutrient, which is a pigment found in leafy green vegetables such as kale, collard greens, and spinach, can prevent macular degeneration, he says.
Besides preventing the condition, lutein may be able to stop or even reverse existing macular degeneration by increasing the density of the macula pigment. "By far, it's the number one nutritional treatment for the disease," Dr. Grossman says.

You can get all the lutein you need by eating five servings of leafy green vegetables a week. If you don't eat that amount (few people do), taking a supplement is the way to go. Dr. Grossman recommends a lutein supplement that supplies 6 milligrams a day

BILBERRY: An Eye-Strengthening Herb
Bilberry, a relative of the blueberry, is thought to improve circulation to the retina, helping to stop or reverse macular degeneration, Dr. Grossman says. He recommends taking the herb in a lutein-bilberry combination, which comes in a sublingual (under-the-tongue) spray that helps the ingredients be assimilated easily. This is a bonus for older people who may have digestive problems.
If you prefer to take a pill, Dr. Grossman recommends one that pro
vides 6 milligrams of lutein and 180 milligrams of bilberry.

TAURINE: Regenerate the Retina
This amino acid may help regenerate tissues in the retina, says Dr. Grossman. He recommends a liquid or sublingual form for best assimilation, or you can take 500 milligrams a day in pill form.

ANTIOXIDANTS: Stopping Retinal Rust
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc can help stop the formation of free radicals. These unstable molecules cause oxidative damage (a kind of internal rust) to cells, including those in the macula.
A nutritional supplement that supplies high levels of antioxidants can help reverse macular degeneration, says John D. Huff, M.D., an ophthalmologist and codirector of the Prather-Huff Wellness Center in Sugarland, Texas

Dr. Huff recommends a multivitamin/mineral product made specifically for eye health, which contains a high level of antioxidants. One that he uses with his patients is (XuDvne, manufactured by Nutri-Cology. Take li according to the directions on the label.