Fish May Help Prevent Severe Eye Disease

A new study adds to the evidence that fish oil may reduce the risk of a major cause of blindness. The disease is age-related macular degeneration. The study included 2,391 adults. Their ages ranged from 65 to 84. An eye doctor examined them. They also were asked questions about their diet. In all, 227 had early macular degeneration. Another 153 had middle-stage disease and 68 had advanced disease. On average, people in the whole study group ate about 1 serving of fish or shellfish each week. People with advanced macular degeneration were much less likely than average to eat seafood. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids. Other research also has suggested that they help prevent advanced eye disease. The study was published December 1 in the journal Ophthalmology.