Enhanced Antioxidant Intake Linked to Reduced Glaucoma Risk

Date: December 20, 2023. Research findings reported on November 22, 2023, in Frontiers in Nutrition, establish a correlation between a diet rich in antioxidants and a diminished risk of developing glaucoma.

Summary: New research, unveiled in Frontiers in Nutrition on November 22, 2023, has unveiled a significant connection between a diet abundant in antioxidants and a decreased likelihood of developing glaucoma. Glaucoma, a sight-threatening eye disease leading to irreversible blindness, is characterized by the degeneration of the optic nerve.

Insights: Authors Wenwei Li and Bin Wang from Tongde Hospital in Hangzhou, China, propose a theoretical link between oxidative stress and the development of glaucoma. Their study involves 6,128 individuals aged 40 and above who partook in the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a comprehensive database crafted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assess the health status of U.S. residents.

Study Methodology: Out of 393 participants informed of their glaucoma diagnosis by ophthalmologists, a two-day 24-hour dietary questionnaire was employed to scrutinize antioxidant levels, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. These values were then used to compute Dietary Antioxidant Index scores, representing the overall antioxidant content of each participant’s diet.

Key Findings: For each increment in the Dietary Antioxidant Index, a 6% reduction in the adjusted risk of glaucoma diagnosis was observed. Individuals scoring in the top one-third of Dietary Antioxidant Index had an impressive 53% lower risk compared to those in the lowest third.

Conclusion: Based on the 2005–2008 NHANES data, the authors conclude that higher dietary antioxidant indices are associated with a decreased risk of glaucoma. This insight suggests that a diet rich in antioxidants may have a protective effect against the development of glaucoma.

— D Dye