You may remember last month, it was reported that a Harvard University study found that serious omega-3 deficiency is the sixth biggest killer of Americans. Well, omega-3 fats are in the news again as the US National Eye Institute has published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that has found increasing intakes of omega-3 fatty acids may lessen the risk of age-related blindness by 30 per cent.

The study found that a subset of age-related eye disease called macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in those over 55, responded positively to omega-3 supplementation. Researchers wrote, "if these results are generalizable, they may guide the development of low-cost and easily implemented preventive interventions for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration".

Increased intakes of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of both types of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Both wet AMD, which occurs when blood vessels grow abnormally beneath the macula and cause scarring, and dry AMD, which is the slow disappearance of normal tissue within the macula, are benefitted by omega-3 supplementation (by 35 and 32 per cent, respectively).

These findings are congruent with an earlier study in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology which looked at fish consumption and AMD. This study found that DHA, an omega-3 fat found primarily in fish, was responsible for lowering AMD by 38%.

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish like cod, salmon, mackerel, and sardines; nuts and seeds like walnuts and flaxseed and grass-fed meat, egg and dairy.


The Healthy Foodie is Doug DiPasquale, Holistic Nutritionist and trained chef, living in Toronto. You can email him with questions at dugdeep@gmail.com.