Study Says Diet Rich in Vitamin C May Help Prevent Cataract

Cataracts are like perpetual cloudy days, only they are in your eyes. Statistics say that over 50% Americans will develop this vision impairment condition as they turn 80. However, a new promising study published in the journal Ophthalmology suggests that a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables can help dodge the risk, unless you have a genetic tendency.

Cataract is a condition that forms in the lens, affecting vision and making it harder to see clearly as the person ages. Experts recommend that to prevent cataract from spreading from one eye to another, it must be treated before it gets worse.

For the purpose of study, a total of 1,000 pairs of female twins were recruited by researchers from King's College in London. Each participant was approximately 60-years-old who were made to fill a food questionnaire answering questions about their nutrient intake everyday.

With the help of digital imaging scan of every patient's eyes, the researchers measured the development of cataract. The participants who consumed vitamin C and about two servings of fruits and vegetables every day had 20% less chances of getting cataract as compared to those who consumed less nutritious diet.

Researchers contacted 324 twin pairs in a follow-up ten years later. They discovered that the participants who reported consuming more Vitamin C in their diet now showed a 33% lowered risk of developing cataract as compared to those with less consumption of Vitamin C.

"The findings of this study could have significant impact, particularly for the ageing population globally by suggesting that simple dietary changes such as increased intake of fruit and vegetables as part of a healthier diet could help protect them from cataracts," said the study's lead author Dr. Chris Hammond, the chair of ophthalmology at King's College, in a press release.