Supplements slow blindness in elderly

BELFAST, Northern Ireland, June 20 (UPI) -- An eye care expert in Northern Ireland suggests vitamin supplements may slow sight loss in the elderly.

Usha Chakravarthy of Queen's University Center of Vision and Vacular Science in Belfast says an anti-oxidant supplement may help prevent early age-related macular degeneration in elderly patients from progressing to late age-related macular.

Patients with late age-related macular degeneration lose their central vision and are unable to read, watch television or recognize people's faces.

Chakravarthy headed a five-year trial involving 400 people in Ireland of the supplement CARMA -- Caroteneoids and Co-antioxidants in Age-related Maculopathy -- which contained the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin as well as zinc and vitamins C and E.

The study found participants taking high levels of both carotenoids preserved the macular pigments, while macular pigments of those in a placebo group declined steadily.

"These findings are important because this is the first randomized controlled clinical trial to document a beneficial effect through improved function and maintained macular pigments," Chakravarthy said in a statement.