Vitamin C Lowers Cataract Risk

A diet rich in vitamin C could cut risk of cataract progression by a third, suggests a study published in a recent issue of Ophthalmology. The research is also the first to show that diet and lifestyle may play a greater role than genetics in cataract development and severity.

From more than 1,000 pairs of female twins analyzed, diets rich in vitamin C were associated with a 20 percent risk reduction for cataract. After 10 years, there was a 33 percent risk reduction of cataract progression.

Genetic factors accounted for 35 percent of the difference in cataract progression. Environmental factors, such as diet, accounted for 65 percent.