Omega-3 fatty acids, usually found in fish-oil, may protect against blindness caused by vessel growth in the eye, researchers said.
Abnormal vessel growth in the eye may cause retinopathy of prematurity, "wet" age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy for adults.
The study showed a decrease of the pathological vessel growth of up to fifty percent in case of mice on the omega-3 diet.
The study proved that, under the influence of omega-3 acids, the vessels re-grow more efficiently after the initial vessel loss, said Dr.
Kip Connor, the lead author of the study.
The eye retina has large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, and even a small change in the dietary habits such as a two percent increase of the amount of omega-3 acids can decrease the disease severity by fifty percent, according to researchers.
Beside fish-oil supplements, omega-3 acids are also found in salmon, sardines, and mackerel.
This study has shown that dietary omega-3 fatty acids may protect against the progression of retinal disease.
Future research is needed in order to establish whether omega-3 acids are as efficient in case of humans as they proved to be on mice.
The clinical trial will follow premature newborns unable to feed, who receive parental nutrition with omega-3 acids.
The researchers hope that omega-3 supplements allow the vessels and the retina to develop normally.
Premature infants lack omega-3 acids because the transfer of these fatty acids from their mothers usually happens in the last semester of pregnancy.
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