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Nutrition could play role in preventing glaucoma in black women
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WASHINGTON — Women who reported eating greater amounts of fruits and vegetables appeared to have a lower likelihood of developing glaucoma, according to a physician speaking here.
The foods that seemed especially protective included fresh oranges, peaches, spinach and collard greens, and kale, according to JoAnn A. Giaconi, MD.
At the American Glaucoma Society meeting, Dr. Giaconi presented results from a review of data from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, which included 584 black women who participated in the study.
In the study, glaucoma was diagnosed in at least one eye in 77 participants, Dr. Giaconi said. Disc photos and suprathreshold visual fields were obtained for study participants, and patients took a Block Food Frequency Questionnaire about their daily food consumption. Correlations between food intake and glaucoma were evaluated with logistic regression models after adjusting for potential confounders, she said.
Investigators found that eating three or more servings of fruit or fruit juices daily decreased the odds of black women developing glaucoma by 79%. More than two servings per week of fresh oranges and peaches also significantly decreased the chance of developing glaucoma.
In addition, eating one serving of collard greens or kale decreased the odds of glaucoma by 57%, Dr. Giaconi said.
"The antioxidants in the fruits and vegetables that we eat can potentially block oxidation stress that can lead to cell damage in glaucoma," Dr. Giaconi said. "Essential fatty acids that we eat can be converted by our bodies into prostaglandins that theoretically could have an effect on IOP."