Studies of boy and girl twins raised in separate households have proven that intelligence, personality traits, and many physical conditions are hard-wired - we're destined to be smart, charming, and perhaps a lousy tennis player.
But when it comes to age-related macular degeneration, there is both nature (genetics) and nurture (your environment) at play in whether your retina gets affected, and how severely. Various tests are available to determine a person's genetic risk for macular degeneration (ArticDx, 23andMe.com). I'm at high GENETIC risk on both tests for macular degeneration. But my actual TOTAL risk is low, because I don't smoke, I maintain a healthy weight, my cardiac health is good, and I've achieved a high level of education. Those are just four modifying risks for macular degeneration. And I've chosen to try to lower my risk further by taking VisiVite nutritional supplements for eye health.
And while it is 100% true that there are no studies proving a preventive benefit of eye vitamins for macular degeneration, it is also true that that there are no studies proving they are not of benefit. That's because it is very difficult - nearly impossible - to perform a high quality scientific study of 20-30 years, tracking half of people taking placebo and the other taking real supplements, both with a low chance of getting AMD, and hoping to find a difference. So I've chosen to do for myself what seems quite obvious - take an antioxidant vitamin supplement to reduce oxidative stress to my retinal cells. The stakes are high, and the preventive costs are low. I take VisiVite Balanced Ocular Support, but really any one of the supplements on this page for retinal health helps to support clear vision. If you take a VisiVite AREDS2 supplement for AMD, you could - but it isn't necessary - to take an additional supplement, and please don't stop your AREDS2! The three supplements on the Healthy Vision page are for your kids and people you know without AMD who are seeking quality eye nutrition.
