published<\/a> in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.1<\/p>\nAfter evaluating evidence from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), AREDS2, and major epidemiologic studies, researchers concluded that closer adherence to a Mediterranean diet was consistently associated with slower AMD progression. The authors recommended a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fish, with reduced consumption of red and processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and excessive alcohol.<\/p>\n
The publication was a focused literature review and clinical perspective rather than a new randomized clinical trial. As a result, the findings primarily demonstrate associations between dietary patterns and AMD outcomes rather than proving that dietary changes directly prevent progression.<\/p>\n
Among AREDS participants with early or no AMD, individuals whose diets most closely resembled a Mediterranean eating pattern were less likely to progress to intermediate disease. Participants with the highest adherence were 21% less likely to develop large drusen than those with the lowest adherence. Another analysis associated medium or high adherence with a 17% lower risk of drusen-size progression. Higher consumption of green leafy vegetables and fish was also associated with a lower risk of progression between early, intermediate, and late AMD.<\/p>\n
The authors found no evidence supporting the use of oral micronutrient supplements in patients with early AMD.<\/p>\n
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The association between diet and disease progression was also observed among patients with intermediate AMD. Across AREDS and AREDS2, participants with the highest Mediterranean-diet adherence had a 23% lower risk of developing late AMD than those with the lowest adherence. The association was stronger for progression to geographic atrophy (GA), with a 29% risk reduction, than for neovascular AMD, with a 16% reduction.<\/p>\n
Fish appeared to be the most influential individual dietary component. Participants in the highest quartile of fish intake had a 31% lower risk of progressing to late AMD compared with those in the lowest quartile. Higher vegetable intake was associated with a 23% reduction in risk, while greater red-meat consumption was associated with a 20% increase. In AREDS, patients in the highest fish-consumption group ate a median of approximately 3 to 4 medium-sized servings per week.<\/p>\n
The authors noted that dose-response relationships were observed, suggesting that patients may benefit from moderate dietary improvements even if they cannot fully adopt a Mediterranean diet.<\/p>\n
Diet may remain important after GA develops, according to the review. In AREDS2, the mean GA enlargement rate was approximately 15% slower among participants with the highest Mediterranean-diet adherence compared with those with the lowest adherence.<\/p>\n
Higher whole-fruit intake was associated with 22% slower GA enlargement, while lower red-meat intake was associated with a 23% slower enlargement rate. Avoiding heavy alcohol consumption and replacing saturated fat with monounsaturated fat were also associated with slower progression. Among patients with extrafoveal GA, greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with approximately 30% slower progression toward the fovea. Higher vegetable intake had the strongest association, corresponding to 40% to 50% slower foveal progression in the upper intake groups.<\/p>\n
For patients with GA, the authors recommended emphasizing fruits and vegetables, reducing red-meat consumption, and avoiding heavy alcohol use. Unlike its association with progression to late AMD, fish intake was not significantly associated with the rate of existing GA enlargement.<\/p>\n
The authors emphasized that healthy eating and AREDS2 supplementation should be viewed as complementary components of AMD management.<\/p>\n
The AREDS2 formulation\u2014containing vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein, and zeaxanthin\u2014is recommended for patients with intermediate AMD or advanced AMD in at least 1 eye. Supplementation appears to preferentially reduce the risk of neovascular AMD, while Mediterranean-diet adherence may have a stronger relationship with reduced GA progression.<\/p>\n
Post hoc analyses have suggested that AREDS2 supplements may slow the progression of extrafoveal GA toward the fovea by approximately 50%. The authors cautioned that this finding requires confirmation in a prospective clinical trial.<\/p>\n
Reference<\/strong><\/p>\n1. Keenan TDL, H\u00e9bert M, Chew EY, Johnson MW. What should patients with age-related macular degeneration eat? Am J Ophthalmol. 2026;288:12-21. doi:10.1016\/j.ajo.2026.04.003<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"07.24.2026 Key Takeaways
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