New research conducted in America claims that a diet heavily dependent on red meat and fatty foods could increase the risk of vision loss in older people.

The study consisted of roughly 1,300 people, most of which didn’t have macular degeneration. During the 18-year-long study, the participants completed two surveys about their dietary consumptions. Researchers then took this information and collated them into 29 different categories to measure the quality of their diets.

They found that certain food groups found predominantly in Western diets were more likely to develop AMD. These food groups included red and processed meats, butter, high-fat dairy and fried foods.

"What you eat seems to be important to your vision, and to whether or not you have vision loss later in life. People know that diet influences cardiovascular risk and the risk of obesity, but the public may not know that diet can affect vision loss,” stated lead author of the study, Amy Millen, associate professor in the department of epidemiology and environmental health at the University of Buffalo, N.Y.

Millen continued “Diet is one way you might be able to modify your risk of vision loss from age-related macular degeneration," especially if you have a family history of the disease.

Researchers stress that this study was based on observing existing diets, and no substitutions were made to other participants. This means, therefore that they can’t ultimately declare eating healthier foods would definitely reduce the risk of AMD, but suggested that there is enough evidence to warrant a cautious approach to these particular types of food.

Sources:

1. WEBMD.
2. Multibriefs.
3. Medical New Today.