Adherence to the Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern and Macular Degeneration: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a serious degenerative disease affecting the eyes, and is the main cause of severe vision loss among people >55 years of age in developed countries. Its onset and progression have been associated with several genetic and lifestyle factors, with diet appearing to play a pivotal role in the latter. In particular, dietary eating patterns rich in plant foods have been shown to lower the risk of developing the disease, and to decrease the odds of progressing to more advanced stages in individuals already burdened with early AMD. We systematically reviewed the literature to analyse the relationship between the adherence to a Mediterranean diet, a mainly plant-based dietary pattern, and the onset/progression of AMD. Eight human observational studies were analysed. Despite some differences, they consistently indicate that higher adherence to a Mediterranean eating pattern lowers the odds of developing AMD and decreases the risk of progression to more advanced stages of the disease, establishing the way for preventative measures emphasizing dietary patterns rich in plant-foods.

Keywords: Mediterranean diet; dietary pattern; drusen; eating pattern; eye disease; macular degeneration; maculopathy; plant-based diets; retinal disease.

Figure 1

Schematic representation adapted from [43] of the processed followed to identify and select suitable studies according to the PRISMA guidelines.