Low level of antioxidants with exposure to blue light increases risk of macular degeneration, study suggests.

Some cases of age-related macular degeneration may arise from a combination of low plasma levels of antioxidants and exposure to blue light from the sun, a multinational European study suggested.

Some cases of age-related macular degeneration may arise from a combination of low plasma levels of antioxidants and exposure to blue light from the sun, a multinational European study suggested.

By itself, blue-light exposure had no associations with neovascular or early-stage age-related macular degeneration. However, analysis of blue-light exposure by antioxidant quartile revealed consistent and significant association with neovascular age-related macular degeneration among those in the lowest quartile of vitamin C, vitamin E, zeaxanthin, and dietary zinc (odds ratio of about 1.4 per standard unit deviation increase in blue-light exposure).

Source reference:
Fletcher AE, et al “Sunlight exposure, antioxidants, and age-related macular degeneration” Arch Ophthalmol 2008; 126: 1396-1403.

For more information in macular degeneration and nutrition, Click Here