Nutrition and the Eye

This volume contains a basic research section focusing on the major compounds of nutrition and food supplements as well as a clinical research section providing up-to-date information on the results of recent clinical studies. The first part gives an insight into the mechanisms of substances relevant to antioxidants and food supplements in relation to eye diseases. The consequences and relevance of selenium, one of the most important trace elements, are considered in a separate section. Further, vitamins E and C as well as lutein and zeaxanthin, the physiological macular pigment, are discussed. The second part focuses on both anterior and posterior segment diseases which might be influenced by food supplementation and/or antioxidants. In addition, this section explains the oxidative pathomechanisms of the most important disease processes. Written for clinicians as well as basic vision scientists, this volume is an essential contribution to the research activities, especially in eye diseases leading to blindness such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.