| Cardio (moderate + intervals) | Do this | ●●●Strong | RCT / meta-analysis | Aerobic exercise lowers intraocular pressure (a glaucoma RCT showed −4.6 mmHg), cuts glaucoma risk ~25%, and benefits AMD, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and dry eye. | Exercise & eye health review (Frontiers 2024) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Carotenoids (provitamin A) | Eat enough of | ●●●Strong | RCT / meta-analysis | The macular xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin (dietary carotenoids) form macular pigment and protect against late AMD in AREDS2 — note these are non-provitamin-A carotenoids. | AREDS2 macular xanthophyll review (PMC7015456) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Tobacco / vaping — quit | Do this | ●●●Strong | Established clinical | Smoking is a WHO-recognised causal risk factor for AMD (2–4× risk, onset ~5.5 years earlier) and for cataract; second-hand smoke doubles AMD risk. | WHO/IAPB smoking & vision brief (PMC10043916) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Vitamin A (RAE) | Eat enough of | ●●●Strong | Established clinical | Vitamin A builds rhodopsin and keeps the cornea moist; deficiency causes night blindness and xerophthalmia — the leading preventable cause of childhood blindness worldwide. | Xerophthalmia (Cleveland Clinic) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Added Sugars | Don't overdo | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | Added sugars and high glycemic load raise diabetic-retinopathy and AMD risk through hyperglycemia-driven vascular and oxidative damage. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Anchor foods | Watch this | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is linked to lower risk of both early and late AMD. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| BMI | Watch this | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | Obesity raises AMD risk via chronic inflammation and, through diabetes, drives retinopathy; BMI over 30 may substantially increase AMD odds. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Blood pressure | Watch this | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | Hypertension is an established systemic risk factor for AMD and drives hypertensive/diabetic retinopathy. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Cardio / VO2max | Watch this | ●●Moderate | Review / narrative | Higher aerobic fitness supports ocular blood flow and lower IOP, linked to reduced risk across several eye diseases. | Exercise & eye health review (Frontiers 2024) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Colours a day | Watch this | ●●Moderate | RCT / meta-analysis | Green leafy vegetables supply lutein and zeaxanthin — the macular xanthophylls that protect against progression to late AMD. | AMD nutrition/AREDS review (PMC7015456) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Daily movement baseline | Do this | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | An active lifestyle (activity ~3×/week) was associated with ~70% lower risk of neovascular (wet) AMD. | Beaver Dam / lifestyle-AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Daily movement baseline | Do this | ●●Moderate | RCT / meta-analysis | An active lifestyle (activity ~3×/week) was associated with ~70% lower risk of neovascular (wet) AMD. | "Physical activity and the risk of cataract and age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis", BMC Ophthalmol 2026 (opens in a new tab) |
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| EPA/DHA (omega-3) | Eat enough of | ●●Moderate | Review / narrative | DHA is the dominant fatty acid of the retina; omega-3s ease dry-eye disease and are associated with lower diabetic-retinopathy risk. | Eye vitamins review (Healthline) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Morning daylight | Do this | ●●Moderate | RCT / meta-analysis | Outdoor daylight is consistently protective against myopia — bright light drives retinal dopamine that slows axial elongation; 60–90 min/day is recommended. | "Efficacy of outdoor interventions for myopia in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis", Front Public Health 2024 (opens in a new tab) |
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| Screens before bed — cut back | Do this | ●●Moderate | Systematic review | Screen/near-work is tied to myopia progression (meta-analyses of hundreds of thousands of children) and to digital eye strain/dry eye as blink rate falls from ~18 to ~4 per minute. | Digital eye strain & myopia review (Myopia Profile) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Sleep duration | Watch this | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | Obstructive sleep apnea raised AMD risk (HR 1.36) in a 67,000-patient cohort via repetitive nighttime oxygen deprivation; short/disrupted sleep is implicated across retinal disease. | OSA & AMD national cohort (PMC12211732) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Sleep quality (refreshed) | Watch this | ●●Moderate | Review / narrative | Unrefreshing sleep is the hallmark of OSA, consistently linked to floppy eyelid syndrome, ischemic optic neuropathy, diabetic macular oedema and other retinal changes. | Sleep & eye disease review (PMC9544516) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Sugary drinks & snacks — cut back | Do this | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | High glycemic load and added sugars raise diabetic-retinopathy and AMD risk through hyperglycemia and oxidative stress. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Supplement discipline | Do this | ●●Moderate | RCT / meta-analysis | The AREDS/AREDS2 formula (C, E, zinc, copper, lutein/zeaxanthin) cuts progression to advanced AMD ~25% — but it is for people who already have intermediate AMD, not universal use. | AREDS/AREDS2 review (PMC7015456) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Ultra-processed food — cut back | Do this | ●●Moderate | Cohort / observational | Low-glycemic, less-processed diets are associated with lower AMD risk; high-glycemic patterns worsen retinopathy risk. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Vitamin C | Eat enough of | ●●Moderate | RCT / meta-analysis | Vitamin C is an AREDS antioxidant contributing to reduced AMD progression. | AREDS formula review (PMC7015456) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Vitamin E | Eat enough of | ●●Moderate | RCT / meta-analysis | Vitamin E, an AREDS antioxidant, is part of the proven nutritional therapy that slows advanced AMD. | Eye nutrition review (PubMed 26903189) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Zinc | Eat enough of | ●●Moderate | RCT / meta-analysis | Zinc is a core AREDS ingredient supporting retinal antioxidant defense and slowing AMD progression. | AREDS formula review (PMC7015456) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Alcohol — cut back | Do this | ●Emerging | Cohort / observational | Heavy intake (>3 drinks/day) is associated with increased AMD risk. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Cook real food | Do this | ●Emerging | Review / narrative | Home-cooked whole-food patterns underpin the Mediterranean/low-glycemic diets tied to lower AMD risk. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Copper | Eat enough of | ●Emerging | RCT / meta-analysis | Copper is included in AREDS mainly to offset the copper depletion caused by high-dose zinc. | AREDS formula review (PMC7015456) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Folate (B9) | Eat enough of | ●Emerging | Review / narrative | B-vitamin deficiency (folate/B12/B6) raises homocysteine, associated with AMD; folate supports optic-nerve/retinal health. | Retinal/ocular supplements review (PMC9710404) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Riboflavin (B2) | Eat enough of | ●Emerging | Review / narrative | Riboflavin status is linked to cataract risk and overall ocular-surface/retinal health. | Retinal/ocular supplements review (PMC9710404) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Sleep regularity | Watch this | ●Emerging | Review / narrative | Circadian/sleep disruption is an emerging contributor to retinal and optic-nerve disease alongside sleep-disordered breathing. | Sleep & eye disease review (PMC9544516) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Strength (resistance) | Do this | ●Emerging | Systematic review | Resistance training also lowers IOP acutely, but very heavy lifting (and yoga inversions) can transiently raise it — a J-curve for glaucoma. | Exercise & IOP in glaucoma systematic review (PMC11333518) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Total Sugars | Don't overdo | ●Emerging | Cohort / observational | High total sugar intake contributes to the glycemic burden implicated in retinopathy. | Modifiable lifestyle & AMD review (PMC11946629) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Vitamin B12 | Eat enough of | ●Emerging | Review / narrative | B12 deficiency contributes to homocysteine-related AMD risk and nutritional optic neuropathy. | Retinal/ocular supplements review (PMC9710404) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Vitamin B6 | Eat enough of | ●Emerging | Review / narrative | B6, with folate/B12, lowers homocysteine linked to AMD risk. | Retinal/ocular supplements review (PMC9710404) (opens in a new tab) |
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| Vitamin D | Eat enough of | ●Emerging | Review / narrative | Low vitamin D is associated with AMD and dry-eye disease among ocular micronutrient factors. | Retinal/ocular supplements review (PMC9710404) (opens in a new tab) |
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