Eyes

FATTY ACIDS | OMEGA-3

Macular degeneration (MD)
Omega-3 fatty acids seem to support health in many ways. For example, these important fatty acids seem to be able to make a positive contribution when it comes to preventing mascular degeneration. This condition, usually abbreviated to MD, can occur under the influence of a disease or hereditary factors. However, the exact cause of this disease is not always clear.

In addition to the aforementioned causes, the condition also appears to have a number of risk factors. This includes smoking and sunlight and possibly high cholesterol and alcohol consumption.

MD occurs in several variants. In the first place, this condition of the eyes reveals itself in a wet and a dry version. In addition, a distinction can be made between, on the one hand, variants that develop at a young age and those that occur with increasing age. The first variant is also called juvenile MD, the second senile (or age-related) MD.

Sex also plays a role in this eye condition. A decrease in the sex hormone estrogen contributes to its development, so that women over 75 are more likely to develop this disease. The favourable effect of the aforementioned fatty acids on the eyes is apparent from international research: subjects who consumed omega-3 every week had fifty percent less chance of getting the aforementioned condition.

This effect is mainly related to the consumption of DHA, since this fatty acid is in large quantities in the retina and keeps it in good condition. Research also supports the proposition that the fatty acids in omega-3 type promote the health of the eye and help prevent dehydration. Dry eyes are relatively fragile and can lead to various ailments. The fatty acids contribute to the production of tear fluid, which prevents dehydration (16).