Slowing Macular Degeneration, and Back to Melatonin

Blog vol. 5.4. Slowing Macular Degeneration, and Back to Melatonin

Last week, we looked at the possible benefits of taking melatonin. This week we are looking at AREDS —Age-Related Eye Disease Studies, which assess the benefits of different mineral and vitamin supplements.

REMEMBER macular degeneration cannot be prevented or reversed, only slowed down. The goal is to  s   l  o   w  it right down. So AREDS… 

The first AREDS, a six-year study by the National Eye Institute released in 2001, showed moderate benefits in the slowing of macular degeneration when using a prescribed formula including antioxidants like vitamins C and E and beta carotene, as well as copper and zinc. 

Another study, AREDS 2 released in 2013, exchanged the beta carotene for lutein and zeaxanthin.  A 10-year study followed and the AREDS 2 formula showed promising results in slowing the onset and progression of macular degeneration. 

However, there has been some controversy as it was found that some people actually did worse on the AREDS and AREDS 2 formulas, not good. Genetic testing for alleles that are connected with macular degeneration was made available and people with complement factor H (CFH) and age-related maculopathy susceptibility 2 (ARMS 2) genes were found to progress more in their macular degeneration with extra zinc (i.e. people with certain genes did not do well with the zinc).   

Genetic testing is a possibility, but now we know what to watch for, we usually start people on the AREDS 2 formula and follow up carefully. If the vision is not stabilizing, we switch to a zinc-less formula like Macuhealth. 

PLEASE DO NOT USE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION WITHOUT SUPERVISION BY AN OPTOMETRIST.

Hopefully, AREDS 3, when that happens, includes melatonin as part of the formula, since it has been suggested as a potential help. 

The pineal gland produces melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep (with less daylight we get more melatonin).  Most of the time, our bodies produce sufficient amounts for our daily rhythms in the wake/sleep cycle. Unfortunately, as we age our pineal glands release less hormone, a likely reason for our need for less sleep as we age. 

Blue light, so prevalent in LED lighting and video screens, fools the body into thinking that it has had extra daylight and triggers the gland to reduce secretion of the hormone. Thus the importance of blue light filters which Nikon has built into a lens material, a non-invasive way to increase melatonin production, a possible roadblock for macular degeneration.  

Til next week,



The good doctor