Eyes & Vision

- Macular degeneration and cataracts are the leading causes of blindness and visual impairment in the United States and Europe.

Estimates indicate that over 150,000 Americans suffer with blindness caused by age-related macular degeneration. In persons over 65 years of age, macular degeneration is second only to cataracts in causing decreased visual acuity.

The most common form of age-related macular degeneration is the "dry," or atrophic, form, a process wherein the cells of the inner layer of the retina change, and swell, resulting, initially, in blurred vision, and, ultimately, in a loss of central vision. As with vessel damage in heart disease, age-related macular degeneration is also caused by free-radical damage -- in this case, to the tissues of the eye. As with heart disease, the old cliche applies: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Like all chronic diseases, diet and lifestyle are essential components in the prevention and treatment of macular degeneration. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and a lifestyle that includes regular exercise and an avoidance of cigarette smoke and environmental pollutants, will provide much of what is necessary to prevent degeneration of eye health.

Additionally, OPCs are a good form of preventative and, in some cases, curative medicine in macular degeneration. Clinical studies using Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry), and Vitis vinifera (grape seed) indicate that OPCs can both reduce the incidence and the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration.