What's your momma say: don't read in a dark room and don't watch TV with your face 1 inch away from the screen! I'm not sure if momma was right about that, but she was right when she said that eating egg yolks and dark green leafy veggies is good for you. In fact, the lutein in egg yolks is damn good for your eye. Yes, check out this new study published online in the Archives of Ophthalmology that offers hope for the prevention of visual field loss in patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa. http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=26897&zoneid=2
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether lutein supplementation will slow visual function decline in patients with retinitis pigmentosa receiving vitamin A. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, double-masked trial of 225 nonsmoking patients, aged 18 to 60 years, evaluated over a 4-year interval. Patients received 12 mg of lutein or a control tablet daily. All were given 15,000 IU/d of vitamin A palmitate. Randomization took into account genetic type and baseline serum lutein level.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the total point score for the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) 30-2 program; pre-specified secondary outcomes were the total point scores for the 60-4 program and for the 30-2 and 60-4 programs combined, 30-Hz electroretinogram amplitude, and Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study acuity.
RESULTS: No significant difference in rate of decline was found between the lutein plus vitamin A and control plus vitamin A groups over a 4-year interval for the HFA 30-2 program. For the HFA 60-4 program, a decrease in mean rate of sensitivity loss was observed in the lutein plus vitamin A group (P = .05). Mean decline with the 60-4 program was slower among those with the highest serum lutein level or with the highest increase in macular pigment optical density at follow-up (P = .01 and P = .006, respectively). Those with the highest increase in macular pigment optical density also had the slowest decline in HFA 30-2 and 60-4 combined field sensitivity (P = .005). No significant toxic effects of lutein supplementation were observed.
CONCLUSION: Lutein supplementation of 12 mg/d slowed loss of mid-peripheral visual field on average among nonsmoking adults with retinitis pigmentosa taking vitamin A.(1)
Reference
1. Berson EL, Rosner B, Sandberg MA, et al. Clinical trial of lutein in patients with retinitis pigmentosa receiving vitamin A. Arch Ophthalmol. Apr;128(4):403-411.
