Your eyes are a complex optical system and worth looking after for full enjoyment of life.Eyes are organs that detect light and in the more advance forms of life, shapes and movement. Of all the illnesses of the aging organs - including glaucoma and cataracts - Age-related macular degeneration AMD is the only one that is has risen sharply. In the UK, registrations for AMD have increased by 30-40 per cent. Throughout the world some 30 million people have the condition - a figure according to the World Health Organization in 1995 is expected to treble over the next 25 years - and six million Americans have vision loss because of AMD, with another 13-15 million suffering from early signs of it. And do you know what this is preventable. Evidence suggests that our diet is too blame and in particular it is processed food, particularly processed fats. (AMD) refers to the slow deterioration of the cells in the macula, a tiny yellowish area near the centre of the retina. This contains light-sensitive cells that send visual signals to the brain.
Straight sharp clear or central vision - used mostly for reading, writing, driving and identifying faces - is processed by the macula. With AMD, straight lines become crooked and wavy, distinct shapes are blurry and there is a fog in the centre of your vision. Your peripheral vision, however, is not affected.In 2003 researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health investigated the role of diet in AMG.They chose 261 subjects aged 60 and over with light to moderate afflictions of the eyes and with visual acuity of 20/200 in at least one of them. Over a period of four and a half years they studied their diet and in particular the type of fats that they were consuming and what they found was something quite amazing. Those consuming high-fat diets were three times as likely to progress to advanced forms of AMD compared with those whose intake of fat was lowest. But the more surprising thing was that it was the type of fat and in particular vegetable fats that showed the greatest threat to the general health of the eyes. The greater the amount of vegetable fats that were eaten including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans unsaturated fats then the greater the increase in AMG by as much as four times. It is a case of the more fat and particularly vegetable fat that you consume then the greater the damage to the eyes. However the other type of fats found in Fish and nuts, both rich in omega-3 fatty acids, slowed progression of the disease - so long as your intake of the usual omega-6 fatty acids was also low. Four types of cells in the human retina capture light and process visual information. One type, the rod cells, regulates night vision. The other three types, called cone cells, control colour vision. This constant processing of visual information can cause a great deal of (normal) wear and tear in the cells of the eye and as a result the eyes need a constant supply of vitamins, high levels of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and lutein as well as zinc, selenium and copper and a plentiful supply of oxygen.
Aspirin may also have another damaging effect. As well as depleting levels of important nutrients, aspirin can disrupt the normal circadian or sleep rhythms.
During sleep the hormone melatonin is produced by the pineal gland and this hormone also boosts our immunity and help lower blood pressure and protect the retinal pigmentation from oxidative stress. One double-blind study found that night time body temperature does not drop to its usual levels after taking either aspirin or ibuprofen.
This was because taking these NSAIDs at night suppressed normal levels of melatonin and reports have confirmed that healthy individuals taking NSAIDs experience melatonin suppression and alterations in their normal sleep patterns. All of this along with smoking can result in increasing deterioration and aging of the body in general and very noticeably in these vital organs that are so very important for the maximum enjoyment of our life. So i think that the message is clear. To maintain excellent eyesight into advanced age eat a balanced diet of fresh fruit and vegetables including nuts and eat fish at least once a week. Supplement with quality supplements don't smoke and be aware of what goes into your body. Protect your eyes from very strong sunlight and get out there walking and introduce good old oxygen into your lungs/body/eyes. All information here is not supplied by a medical professional and proper advice should be sought before undertaking any change in diet or medication.
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The taking of aspirin can increase the deficiency of vitamin C in the body. Taking 3 g/day of aspirin has also been shown to decrease blood levels of zinc. 
