Macular Degeneration and Supplements

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Question:
My elderly mother used to take an eye vitamin supplement, as recommended by her retinal specialist for her macular degeneration, along with a daily multivitamin/mineral tablet. Now that she is in a Skilled Nursing Facility, their policy is to not administer two multivitamins together. Could there be any clinical reason why she couldn't be given the two supplements?

Answer:
It is common for us to recommend that AMD patients take the recommended eye vitamin supplement in addition to their daily multivitamin/mineral tablet. In fact, in the Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), where the benefit of the eye supplement was demonstrated, the study patients all were instructed to take the study medication in addition to a daily multivitamin. There is no clinical reason why she couldn't be given the two supplements.

Answered by: Paul Sternberg Jr., MD 

Categories: Eye Diseases, General Eye Health

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