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MSM

Health News Archive 212 - Senior Vision
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Melatonin Decreases Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Researchers investigated the effect of melatonin on age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). They decided to undertake the study because melatonin has been shown to control eye pigmentation and thereby regulate the amount of light reaching the photoreceptors. In addition, melatonin scavenges free radicals and protects retinal pigment epithelium cells from oxidative damage. Consequently, the age-related decrease in melatonin could be an important factor in the dysfunction in retinal pigment epithelium cells known to cause the initiation of ARMD.

The researchers treated 100 ARMD patients with 3 mg melatonin given orally each night at bedtime for at least three months. The patients were diagnosed with either the dry or wet form of ARMD. Fifty-five patients were followed for more than 6 months. At 6 months, researchers noted that the visual acuity in melatonin-treated patients generally remained stable, a result already better than the otherwise anticipated natural course of deterioration. Furthermore, the researchers called the beneficial change in the interior eye surface "remarkable" in the melatonin-treated subjects. In addition, after melatonin treatment, only 8 eyes showed retinal bleeding and 6 eyes retinal excretion of fluids and pus. The majority of the melatonin-treated patients experienced reduced pathologic macular changes. No significant side effects were observed.

“We conclude that the daily use of 3 mg melatonin seems to protect the retina and to delay macular degeneration,” the study authors wrote.

Source: Yi C, Pan X, Yan H, Guo M, Pierpaoli W. Effects of melatonin in age-related macular degeneration. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2005 Dec;1057:384-92.