When Eye Problems Involve Diseases of the Retina (2/2)

Scientists have been trying to develop gene treatments for it, and in recent years there have been some reports of possible progress. But Doctor Chew says these studies of experimental gene therapies have so far only involved animals.

Recently, the National Eye Institute reported the findings of a study of diet and a disease called retinopathy. It says the omega-three fatty acids EPA and DHA, both found in fish, protected mice against the development and progression of retinopathy. The study showed that decreasing omega-six fatty acids in the diet also helped. The study was published this month in Nature Medicine.

The findings could be useful to research into retinopathy in humans, including a common cause of vision loss in diabetics. A separate form can lead to permanent blindness in babies born too early. Doctor Chew, however, says this study may have no connection to treating retinal degeneration.

She also says there is disagreement about whether taking high levels of vitamin A could reduce the severity of the disease. She says there was a study which suggested that vitamin A helped some people with retinitis pigmentosa. But she notes that other investigators have disputed these findings.