High fat diet linked to eye disease

A "Western-style" high fat diet is linked with developing eye disease including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study by eye experts at the University of Southampton.

The study in mice, which has been published in the journal of Molecular Nutrition & Food Research , showed animals developed early AMD-like features including damage to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in the eye, after being fed a high fat diet compared to mice who were fed a normal diet.

AMD is an irreversible blinding disease caused by genetic and external risk factors such as smoking or being overweight. It affects the central vision, which is used for reading and recognising faces and is a leading cause of sight loss in the UK – affecting more than 600,000 people.

Damage to RPE cells occur during early stages of AMD making them less equipped to support retinal  photoreceptors, which responds to light. The death of photoreceptors leads to irreversible sight-loss.

Dr Arjuna Ratnayaka, an Associate Professor in Vision Science who led the study said: “We know that eating a balanced diet has a positive impact on many aspects of our lives, but some people still don’t realise the negative effects that a poor diet can have on our eyesight. We have shown how the intake of a high fat diet is linked with developing AMD-like features in cells and tissues of living eyes, which adds to the important messages linking diet and nutrition with eye health.”