A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry conducted jointly by Brigham Young University and Cornell University, finds that antioxidants – molecules that prevent the reactions that create harmful free radicals – can not only halt macular degeneration, but may be able to prevent the disease in individuals at risk for it.

Although little conclusive information exists about the root cause of macular degeneration, the study’s results indicate a correlation between vision loss and oxidative cell damage. Treatment with antioxidants and other alternative therapies have been shown to slow the disease’s onset, but the non-replicating cells in the human eye cannot repair any existing damage, leading researchers to theorize that gene therapy and stem cell research may hold the secret to reversing the damage.

Macular degeneration affects more than 10 million Americans, and is the leading cause of blindness in the United States for individuals over the age of 55. The condition is caused by thinning of the macula, or the lining of the retina, which in turn causes the progressive loss of central vision.

The BYU-Cornell study evaluated the effects of trolox, a vitamin E derivative antioxidant, on vision cells from rats, cows and humans.

Posted: 09|10|08 at 9:18 am. Filed under: News.