Macular degeneration destroys the middle of the retina, the most important part of the eye.

Ophthamologist, Rob Abel of Delaware Ophthalmology Consultants says, "The center of the retina, which is straight ahead in the eye, is called the macula, wherein the cells are most closely packed."

Cells of the tiny macular area read most of the colors, shades and intensities of light we see, the biological equivalent of photographic film. As the disease develops, the damage at the back of the eye translates into minor distortions or mild blurring. Eventually the central vision fades from gray to black. With only peripheral vision remaining, victims can no longer see faces and are unable to read books. Driving can no longer be done safely.

Macular degeneration strikes with increasing frequency the older you are, but can strike young people. Doctors diagnosed Jim Stovall with the disease at age 17.

"I had a marvelous ability at that time to go about 80 miles an hour toward a brick wall and act like nothing bad was ever going to happen to me," Jim remembers.

Denial is common with this disease at whatever age it strikes. By age 29, Jim had lost all his vision.

Bill Sardi, a Medical journalist who has thoroughly researched the disease, challenges the common notion that macular degeneration is unstoppable.

"The disease is not hopeless," says Sardi. "There are ways of getting your vision back and certainly ways of stopping its progress."

Currently, many patients are seeking laser or X-ray treatments in hopes of stopping the most-aggressive or wet form of this blinding disease.

Sardi claims there is no study that shows these types of treatment are very effective. "In fact," he says, "it permanently scars and damages the retina."

While research with X-rays and lasers is ongoing, Sardi along with surgeon Ron Abel believe the better and safer approach to renew the retina and recover vision is primarily through nutrition.

"The light keeps impacting on your retina. You keep getting messages that you see well. It doesn't bother you. But your bank account is slowly running out because you're not digesting well or taking the right foods," says Abel.

Sardi considers the new key weapon to be lutein, a substance found in foods like spinach, kale, collard greens and mustard greens, but most noticeable as the yellow color in fall leaves. This yellow pigment, lutein, accumulates in the visual center of the eye and acts similarly to miniature blue-blocker sunglasses for the retina.

In scientific studies, those who eat plenty of lutein or take it in the form of a supplement have a dramatically reduced risk of macular degeneration. Both Sardi and Abel emphasize the use of antioxidants as well, including vitamins that fight the effects of destructive natural chemicals produced in the body. These chemicals are called free radicals.

"You have a bank account of antioxidants to counter those free radical oxidants," says Abel. "When you run out of antioxidants, things happen: arthritis, bowel disease, heart disease, cancer, macular degeneration and even cataracts."

Additionally, Sardi's other nutritional suggestion is bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids make capillaries stronger and prevent hemorrhages or the wet form of the disease.

In this more aggressive form of macular degeneration, weak blood vessels leak fluid into the eye and harm vision. But, bioflavonoids bolster the blood vessels. They can be found in cherries, cranberries, blueberries and other fruits. Many supplements like bilberry contain important bioflavonoids. Still, most doctors are cautious about the nutrition and supplement angle.

One of those is Dr. Abel's associate at Delaware Ophthalmology Consultants, Dr. Harry Lebowitz.

"The idea of taking supplementation is a good one. As far as how much to take, that's where the controversial area is, and it's really hard to give guidelines as to exactly how much to take," Dr. Lebowitz asserts.

Least skeptical about the benefits of nutrition seem to be this group of macular degeneration patients:

Elizabeth Habicht says, "In three months' time, my eyesight had improved."

"It changed my whole outlook. I was too young to be thinking that in four or fives years I was going to have very little eyesight," says Virginia VanSciver.

"I've had very positive, positive results from this, adds Ken Murray. "There was nothing left for me to turn to, so I had to turn to nutrition."

As valuable as surgery can be, Ron Abel states nutritional options have expanded his arsenal against eye diseases, especially macular degeneration.

Thanks to new solutions for eye patients and the general populous, many are gaining a renewed vision of the future.

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