ANTIOXIDANTS HELP EYES, HIGH GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS HURT.

According to a review of existing literature, high intake of antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements including beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc is inversely associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Individuals supplementing with these compounds were less likely to lose 15 or more letters of visual acuity than people not supplementing. Another portion of the study looked for an association between dietary carbohydrates or glycemic index and cataract in nondiabetic persons. High dietary GI was associated with a higher prevalence of all pure nuclear opacities and moderate nuclear opacities. (May 15, 2006)