Ageing brings about a multitude of changes to your body and your eyes are not spared. Aside from cataract, or clouding of the lens of the eyes, you may develop eye conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy - which display no symptoms during the early stages. However, early detection and treatment can help slow down or even reverse the progression of eye disease.

Dr Allan Fong, Head and Consultant from the Department of General Cataract and Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Dr Desmond Quek, Consultant from the Department of Glaucoma, at Singapore National Eye Centre, give detailed answers to your questions.​

Question by lifeartsg

Can diet help reduce glaucoma, AMD and cataract risks?

Answered by Answered by Dr Desmond Quek, Consultant, Glaucoma Department, Singapore National Eye Centre

Glaucoma

No conclusive studies prove a connection between specific foods and glaucoma, but what you eat and drink can affect your general health and can have an effect on the disease.

Some studies have shown that significant caffeine intake over a short time can slightly elevate intraocular eye pressure (IOP) for one to three hours. However, other studies indicate that caffeine has no meaningful impact on IOP. To be safe, people with glaucoma are advised to limit their caffeine intake to moderate levels.

Studies have also shown that as many as 80% of people with glaucoma who consume an entire quart (close to 1 litre) of water over the course of twenty minutes experience elevated IOP, as compared to only 20% of people who don’t have glaucoma. To be safe, people with glaucoma are encouraged to consume water in small amounts throughout the day.

AMD

People who eat a diet high in vegetables and fruit have a lower incidence of age-related macular degeneration. Dark green, leafy vegetables are particularly helpful.

People who eat fish three times a week have a lower incidence of macular degeneration.

People who eat a lot of saturated fats have a higher risk of AMD.

Cataract

There have been several studies examining the relationship between diet and cataract, for example:

Foods high in antioxidants (fruits and vegetables and whole grains), higher intakes of vitamin C or combined intake of multiple antioxidants, foods rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, and higher dietary intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E from food and supplements have been shown to reduce the risk of cataracts or help delay the development of cataracts.

Conversely, a diet high in carbohydrates may increase cataract risk.

However, other studies have failed to show an association between nutritional supplements and reduced risk of cataracts. In two long-term Age-Related Eye Disease studies (AREDS and AREDS2), neither study found use of daily multivitamin supplements containing vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc (with or without beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids) prevented or slowed the progression of cataracts.

And while all nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals associated with cataract prevention in studies can be found in eye vitamins and vision supplements, many experts believe these substances should be acquired from a healthy diet rather than from nutritional supplements.

Question by ivylau638

Dear Doctor, Please advice how to detect early treatment for check up to be arrange. Regards Ivy Lau

Answered by Singapore National Eye Centre

You can either contact our Appointments Department at Tel No: 6227 7266 or drop them an email at appointments@snec.com.sg to arrange an appointment for your eye check.

Question by Synergy

My mum is 64 years old with chronic diabetic condition. During her recent eye checkup, the doctor said she has cataract (40%) and advised her to go for surgery treatment. As my mum does not experience serious blurriness yet (she can still see quite well with her glasses on), considering the risk-benefit, should we advise her to go for surgery now or wait till later? Will the risk of the surgery be higher if she goes for it at later age?

Answered by Dr Desmond Quek, Consultant, Glaucoma Department, Singapore National Eye Centre

If your mother can still see relatively well with her current level of vision, she probably can delay surgery till a later stage. How​ever, the cataract must not be so dense that it prevents the eye doctor from monitoring her retina for diabetic eye disease. If this is so, then cataract surgery should be performed so that proper careful monitoring of diabetic retinal disease can be done. In general, the denser (more mature) the cataract, the more difficult it will be to remove. As a patient becomes more elderly, the anaesthetic risks also increase.

Ref: Q15