Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Provide Retina Protection

A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine adds to the growing body of evidence that a diet rich in the omega 3 fatty acids may provide protection against the development of, and slow the progression of, some forms of retinopathy.

Retinopathy is the deterioration of the retina that can ultimately lead to blindness. The two most common forms in the US are diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy caused by premature birth. In both of these case, blindness is initiated by vascular loss in the eye. The lack of oxygen to the tissue triggers new blood vessels to grow. Unfortunately, in cases of retinopathy, abnormal blood vessels (and too many of them) grow, resulting in the retinal detachment and, ultimately, blindness. Retinopathy affects an estimated 4 million diabetics in the US.

The National Eye Institute and Harvard Medical School led a study that used a mouse model in which genetically modified mice were fed a diet rich in either an omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids.¹ During the disorder-initiating vessel-loss period, the researchers found that the mice eating the omega-3 rich diet suffered damage in a 40-50% smaller area than the mice receiving the omega-6 diet. Normal blood vessels in the damaged areas were also regenerated more quickly, reducing the hypoxia-induced regrowth of the abnormal vessels by 40-50%. The researchers also found elevated levels of retinal-protective compounds (neuroprotectin D1, resolvin D1 and resolvin E1) that were absent in the eyes of the mice fed the omega-6 diet. Thus, the researchers concluded that omega-3 protects the retina by reducing initial damage, staving off abnormal vascular growth, and increasing retinal-protective compounds with in the eyes.

Western diets tend to be higher in omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids and somewhat deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. Likewise, premature infants often miss an important transfer of omega-3 fatty acids that occurs from the mother to the infant in the third trimester of pregnancy. Human clinical trials will need to be conducted to determine if omega-3s confer the same protective benefits to humans as they do in mice.

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1. Connor, K. M., J. P. Sangiovanni, et al. (2007). "Increased dietary intake of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces pathological retinal angiogenesis." Nat Med 13(7): 868-73.