WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin Emay protect the eyes against cataracts and age-related maculardegeneration, according to a new special health report from HarvardMedical School.

There's some truth to the belief that "eating carrots is good for theeyes," the Harvard publication said, but noted that diets containing moreantioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C "are even better."

The Harvard Health Letter said in its May issue that a recent governmentstudy finding that Vitamin E and other vitamins and minerals may slowprogression of macular degeneration "was a success."

The study, called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study or AREDS, wasconducted by the National Institutes of Health. Doses used in the trialwere 400 international units of Vitamin E, 500 milligrams of Vitamin C, 15milligrams of beta carotene, 80 milligrams of zinc, and two milligrams ofcopper.

The Harvard Health Letter pointed out, however, that the positive resultswere in people who already had moderate to serious macular degeneration,and that the vitamin-mineral combination hasn't been shown to help "peoplewho had no macular degeneration or only a mild case." The Harvardpublication recommended that patients don't take vitamins and minerals forthe condition until "an ophthalmologist has examined your eyes anddetermined that you're a high-risk patient."

More than a quarter of Americans aged 75 or older show some signs ofmacular degeneration, the Harvard Health Letter said. Severe vision losscan result, "although no one goes totally blind from maculardegeneration."

SOURCE: Foods for the Future