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The Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group1 found that dietary lutein/zeaxanthin intake was inversely associated with (1) neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), (2) geographic atrophy, and (3) large or extensive intermediate drusen. The common denominator for the analysis, one can assume, was the greater number of daily vegetable servings for uninvolved control individuals, as determined by the food frequency dietary questionnaire, in comparison with a group of patients with AMD. The report did not mention that lutein/zeaxanthin could simply have been a marker for vegetable consumption and that the salutary effect might have come from some other nutrient that vegetables have in common. For instance, vegetables have high concentrations of potassium, magnesium, and calcium. They also have very low sodium and cholesterol contents. All of the above are important in maintaining normal blood vessel function and blood vessel integrity, including, it is reasonable to assume, in the Bruch membrane.
The authors also failed to propose a mechanism by which insufficient lutein/zeaxanthin intake could be responsible for (1) choroidal neovascularization and a breakdown of the Bruch membrane, (2) pigment epithelial atrophy, and (3) drusen development and pigment epithelial detachment.
Correspondence: Dr Hawkins, Retina-Vitreous Associates, 1200 Binz St, Ste 400, Houston, TX 77004 (office@rvahouston.com).
Financial Disclosure: None reported.
Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature
Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal
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