Dark-green veges and fish could help preserve sight

Eating dark-green leafy vegetables and fish could reduce the risk of a degenerative eye disease affecting one in four of the ageing population, medical eye specialists said this week.

A diet without excessive animal or vegetable fat intake could also help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists said.

The college, which is holding its annual scientific congress in Melbourne, was responding to recent claims of a link between AMD and severe visual loss from the consumption of dietary fat, particularly vegetable fats or margarine.

But the college said that the limited information available on the link was not sufficient for people to drastically alter their diet.

Definitive recommendations could not be made until further research came to light.

Australian ophthalmologist Paul Mitchell said last year during a visit to this country that AMD was claiming the eyesight of 2000 New Zealanders every year. It was quick to take hold, with sufferers seeing dark or grey patches, or wavy lines.

- NZPA