Over a period of twelve years, medical researchers at Tufts University followed nearly 90,000 people 50 years of age or older. They kept track of their detailed fat intake as well as measuring their macular degeneration and published their results in 2001. In general, they found that people who got 42% or more of their calories from fat were more likely to develop macular degeneration. The study also found that unprocessed meat, like steak, lamb, or pork, need only be eaten once a week before the subjects' risk of macular degeneration increased by 35%.

Some researchers caution that the associations found at times can not be pinpointed to the saturated fat itself but may be related to other compounds in the foods in which they are commonly found. High-fat diets might simply be a marker for diets that are poor in many micronutrients that could protect against age-related macular degeneration.

I’m aware that there is no definitive answer as to what specifically causes MD. There is however an emerging theory that healthy macula functioning depends on a high blood flow through its blood vessels and that anything that interferes with this blood flow can cause the macula to malfunction. Many believe that high saturated-fat diets can cause plaque buildup along blood vessel walls, including the macular vessels, which impedes blood flow.

Amergin, I'm here seeking advice and opinions and have no desire to throw red herrings or stroke controversy. I did mention saturated fat in the title after reading about a study of older (age 45-84) Americans indicating signs of early MD were 80% more common in the group who ate the most saturated fat compared to those who ate the least.

Amanda, thank you for the great articles. I have scrambled eggs with spinach almost every morning.

Btw, I have MD in my right eye and am trying everything I can do to halt its progression.

Bo