Study Finds Vitamins Help Prevent Vision Loss

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Your mother said it is good to eat your vitamins. Well, her advice appears to have life long ramifications.

Vitamin B and folic acid help prevent age-related vision loss.

In a very interesting study, women with heart disease, or at least three risk factors for heart disease, were randomly assigned to take a placebo (a sugar pill), or a combination of vitamin b-6, vitamin b-12, and folic acid. Over about seven years of follow-up, women taking the b vitamins and folic acid had a 34% lower chance of developing age-related macular degeneration. That is a common cause of vision loss is in the elderly.

Of course the best way to get the vitamins that you need is through a well-balanced diet.