Skip to main content
Macular Disease Foundation Australia
  • My Cart
  • Text Only
  • Listen
  • Print Page
  • Language
    • English
    • Arabic
    • Chinese
    • Greek
    • Italian
    • Portuguese
    • Spanish
    • Vietnamese
  • Search form

Check My Macula Check My Macula Join the Community Join the Community Order Free Information Order Free Information Call our helpline at 1800111709 Helpline
1800 111 709
Donate Donate
  • Home
  • Macular Disease
    • Macular Degeneration
      • About Macular Degeneration
      • Check My Macula
      • What Happens?
      • Risk Factors
      • Prevention
      • Detection
      • Diagnosis
      • Treatment
      • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
      • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Diabetic Retinopathy
      • About Diabetic Retinopathy
      • About Diabetes
      • What Happens?
      • Risk Factors
      • Prevention
      • Detection
      • Diagnosis
      • Treatment
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Low Vision
      • Living with Low Vision
      • Carer and Family
      • Aids and Technology
      • Slips, Trips and Falls
      • Legal blindness
    • Other Macular Diseases
      • Best Disease
      • Macular Hole
      • Macular Pucker
      • Macular Telangiectasia
      • Myopic Macular Degeneration
      • Retinal Detachment
      • Retinitis Pigmentosa
      • Retinal Vein Occlusion
      • Stargardt Disease
      • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
      • Posterior Vitreous Detachment and Floaters
      • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
    • Visit Eye Health Professional
      • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
    • Macular Disease
      • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease
  • Research
    • Research Grants Program
      • Research Grants Awarded
      • Research Grant Recipients
      • Apply for the 2021 MDFA Research Grants Program
      • Research Grants Panel
    • Support Research
    • Latest Research
      • Research News
      • MDFA Research
      • Macular Diseases
      • Understanding Research
      • Social Impact
    • Research Updates
      • Annual Research Update
      • Weekly Research Updates for Professionals
    • Research studies
      • Research participants needed in the Canberra region who enjoy art and have vision loss
  • Resources
    • Order Publications and Resources
    • Find a Healthcare Provider
    • Audio and Video
      • Audio
      • Podcasts
      • Patient Voices
      • Videos
    • Macula Menus
    • Check My Macula toolkits
    • Aged care resources
  • News & Events
    • Newsletters
      • Vision Voice Newsletters
      • Subscribe to Newsletters
      • Archive
    • News
      • 2021 news
      • 2020 news
      • 2019 News
      • 2018 News
      • 2017 News
      • 2016 News
      • Archived News
    • Events & Activities
      • Community Events
      • Education Sessions
      • Events Calendar
      • Watch past webinars
    • Media Centre
      • Media Releases
  • Foundation
    • Organisation
      • History
      • Objectives
      • Guiding Principles
      • Annual Reports
      • Whistleblower Policy
      • Financial Statements
    • People
      • Patron
      • State Patrons / Representatives
      • Ambassadors
      • Foundation Board
      • Committees
      • State Chairs
      • National Research Advisor
    • Our Work
      • Awareness
      • Education
      • Support Services
      • Research
      • Representation
    • Support Us
      • Donate
      • Bequests
      • Fundraise
      • Volunteer
      • Friends of the Foundation
      • Sponsors and Supporters
      • Professional Friends
    • Contact Us
Listen
Macular Disease Foundation Australia
Check My Macula Macula Join the Community Join Us Order Free Information Free Info Donate Donate
Menu
  • My Cart
    • Language
      • English
      • Arabic
      • Chinese
      • Greek
      • Italian
      • Portuguese
      • Spanish
      • Vietnamese
    • Home
    • Macular Disease
      • Macular Degeneration
        • About Macular Degeneration
        • Check My Macula
        • What Happens?
        • Risk Factors
        • Prevention
        • Detection
        • Diagnosis
        • Treatment
        • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
        • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Diabetic Retinopathy
        • About Diabetic Retinopathy
        • About Diabetes
        • What Happens?
        • Risk Factors
        • Prevention
        • Detection
        • Diagnosis
        • Treatment
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Low Vision
        • Living with Low Vision
        • Carer and Family
        • Aids and Technology
        • Slips, Trips and Falls
        • Legal blindness
      • Other Macular Diseases
        • Best Disease
        • Macular Hole
        • Macular Pucker
        • Macular Telangiectasia
        • Myopic Macular Degeneration
        • Retinal Detachment
        • Retinitis Pigmentosa
        • Retinal Vein Occlusion
        • Stargardt Disease
        • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
        • Posterior Vitreous Detachment and Floaters
        • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
      • Visit Eye Health Professional
        • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
      • Macular Disease
        • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease
    • Research
      • Research Grants Program
        • Research Grants Awarded
        • Research Grant Recipients
        • Apply for the 2021 MDFA Research Grants Program
        • Research Grants Panel
      • Support Research
      • Latest Research
        • Research News
        • MDFA Research
        • Macular Diseases
        • Understanding Research
        • Social Impact
      • Research Updates
        • Annual Research Update
        • Weekly Research Updates for Professionals
      • Research studies
        • Research participants needed in the Canberra region who enjoy art and have vision loss
    • Resources
      • Order Publications and Resources
      • Find a Healthcare Provider
      • Audio and Video
        • Audio
        • Podcasts
        • Patient Voices
        • Videos
      • Macula Menus
      • Check My Macula toolkits
      • Aged care resources
    • News & Events
      • Newsletters
        • Vision Voice Newsletters
        • Subscribe to Newsletters
        • Archive
      • News
        • 2021 news
        • 2020 news
        • 2019 News
        • 2018 News
        • 2017 News
        • 2016 News
        • Archived News
      • Events & Activities
        • Community Events
        • Education Sessions
        • Events Calendar
        • Watch past webinars
      • Media Centre
        • Media Releases
    • Foundation
      • Organisation
        • History
        • Objectives
        • Guiding Principles
        • Annual Reports
        • Whistleblower Policy
        • Financial Statements
      • People
        • Patron
        • State Patrons / Representatives
        • Ambassadors
        • Foundation Board
        • Committees
        • State Chairs
        • National Research Advisor
      • Our Work
        • Awareness
        • Education
        • Support Services
        • Research
        • Representation
      • Support Us
        • Donate
        • Bequests
        • Fundraise
        • Volunteer
        • Friends of the Foundation
        • Sponsors and Supporters
        • Professional Friends
      • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Research
  • Latest Research
  • Research News
  • New study indicates regular egg consumption could reduce risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Back

New study indicates regular egg consumption could reduce risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

April 2019

Author: Westmead Institute for Medical Research

A new epidemiological study conducted by researchers at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research indicates that regular consumption of eggs could reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The study, published online in The Clinical Nutrition Journal, aimed to investigate the relationship between total intake of eggs and the 15-year incidence of AMD.

AMD is a chronic condition affecting the central macula that can cause a progressive loss of central vision. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in Australia, responsible for 50% of cases of blindness.

Age is a risk factor for macular degeneration, with people aged 50 and over most frequently affected. However, AMD is not a normal or certain part of ageing.

Lead investigator, Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath from the Centre for Vision Research at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research says that, to date, no epidemiological studies have investigated the relationship between total egg intake and the risk of developing AMD. 

“The findings of this study are therefore important as they indicate a significant and independent association between the moderate consumption of eggs and lower risk of developing late AMD*.

“Specifically, participants who consumed 2–4 eggs per week versus those who consumed less than 1 egg per week had 49% reduced risk of developing late AMD after 15 years.


“The results were more significant for those participants who developed the ‘wet’* form of late AMD. In those participants whose age of AMD onset was at the 5- or 10-year follow-up stage of the study, consumption of 2-4 and 5-6 eggs per week was associated with 54% and 65% reduced risk of late AMD, respectively.”

Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath adds, “However, there does appears to be a threshold to the benefit of egg consumption in relation to AMD risk as no added benefit was observed in those who consumed an average of one or more eggs per day.”

The potential protective properties of eggs are in the carotenoids contained in the yolk, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. There is evidence that these macular carotenoids could have a beneficial effect on the progression of AMD.

Associate Professor Gopinath says dark-green leafy vegetables are established as being good sources of carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin. Therefore, all people with AMD, regardless of disease stage, are encouraged to increase their intake of dark green leafy vegetables as part of their regular diet.
Eggs also represent a cost-effective and rich source of dietary lutein and zeaxanthin.

“While eggs contain less lutein and zeaxanthin than dark-green leafy vegetables, lutein and zeaxanthin are better absorbed by the body when sourced from eggs,” says Associate Professor Gopinath.

While this initial study strongly indicates the potential of regular egg consumption to help reduce the risk of AMD, Associate Professor Gopinath encourages more studies to verify these findings.

The study was based on The Blue Mountains Eye Study, a community-based cohort, and involved 3,654 adults aged 49 years and over.

* Late AMD is when vision becomes impaired. Late AMD can be classified as dry (atrophic) macular degeneration or wet (neovascular) macular degeneration.

Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath is affiliated with The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney and The Kolling Institute of Medical Research.

 

Source article:

  • Westmead Institute for Medical Research, ‘Cracking news: New study indicates regular egg consumption could reduce risk of developing macular degeneration’

 

Journal article:

  • Gopinath B et al. Consumption of eggs and the 15-year incidence of age-related macular degeneration. Clin Nutr. 2019 Mar 16. pii: S0261-5614(19)30122-0

 

Media story:

  • Channel 9 News Sydney, 'Key breakthrough to reduce risk of age-related macular degeneration'
Share this article
Select Your Type?
 
 
 
  • Home
  • Macular Disease
  • Research
  • Resources
  • News & Events
  • Foundation

Contact Us

1800 111 709
[email protected]
Suite 902, Level 9, 447 Kent Street, Sydney 2000

Follow Us

acnc_logo_reverse.png


Helpline 1800 111 709

Donate

Macular Disease Foundation Australia ABN 52096255177
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Disclaimer