Nutritional Supplements

There is growing evidence that increasing your intake of foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin such as fresh fruit and leafy vegetables should help to reduce the risk of contracting Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). However some people may find it difficult to achieve the high levels that are recommended from normal diet alone and a food supplement containing the proper formula may be an alternative.

As well as making the appropriate changes to your normal diet, your optician may advise on a suitable nutritional supplement in capsule form, having completed a macular pigment screening test using the MPOD screener during a routine eye examination. However if you are taking nutritional supplementation you should be screened again every six months until your macular pigment density has reached the desired level.

You should think of macular pigment screening along the same lines as regular cholesterol testing. Both tests are important for your health and they both allow you the opportunity to improve your well-being through subtle changes in your dietary habits.

Your eyecare professional, together with the MPOD screener are essential elements in the ongoing fight against the onset of ARMD in later years. By acting early and positively you may forestall the debilitating effects of this remarkably common disease and preserve your sight as you get older.