Omega-3 Slows Down Retinitis Pigmentosa Progression

A report published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, reveals that adults with retinitis pigmentosa showed slower decline in annual rates of distance and retinal visual acuities by consuming a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Results from the study revealed that the mean (average) annual rate of decline in distance visual acuity was 40% slower among participants who consumed a diet high in long-chain _-3 fatty acids (≥0.20 g/d), compared with participants whose diet was low in omega-3 fatty acids.

In a previous study, the team revealed that dietary omega-3 intake had an effect on retaining central visual field sensitivity. They found that individuals receiving _-3 intake of at least 0.20 g/d, in conjunction with vitamin A palmitate, 15,000 IU/d had nearly a 50% slower rate of decline in central visual field sensitivity than patients receiving a lower omega-3 intake and the same dose of vitamin A.