Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in industrialized countries. DHA is a key fatty acid found in the retina. Epidemiological studies examining the association between DHA or fish intake and AMD have generally shown a protective relationship. Consumption of more than 4 servings of fish/week are associated with a 35% lower risk of AMD compared with less or equal to 3 servings per month. Similar results were observed in a recent prospective cohort study involving 261 participants aged sixty years or older at baseline.

In 261 subjects followed by researchers over a 4.6 year period, 101 participants with diagnosed AMD progressed to advanced AMD. The intake of fish more than twice a week was associated with a lower rate progression to advanced AMD. The National Eye Institute division of the National Institutes of Health is planning a randomized double-blinded study that will evaluate the association between DHA intake and the rate of disease progression in greater than 4000 AMD patients.