Eye doctors have been more enthusiastic about nutrient supplements than most other physicians. That’s because some studies suggest that antioxidants protect the eyes from damage. A new study in the journal Ophthalmology, however, suggests that vitamins C and E may not provide expected benefits against macular degeneration.
Researchers assigned more than 14,000 male physicians to take vitamin C, vitamin E or placebos. All the men took two pills, but some got just one vitamin while others got both or none. After eight years of follow-up, the investigators found no difference in the rate of macular degeneration among the doctors taking vitamins and those getting only placebo pills. They conclude that there is no good evidence to support taking these vitamins to prevent this cause of blindness in older people.
[Ophthalmology, online April 13, 2012]
