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Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Jun;145(6):1081-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2008.01.022. Epub 2008 Mar 20. Glaucoma risk and the consumption of fruits and vegetables among older women in the study of osteoporotic fractures. Coleman AL1, Stone KL, Kodjebacheva G, Yu F, Pedula KL, Ensrud KE, Cauley JA, Hochberg MC, Topouzis F, Badala F, Mangione CM; Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group. 1Department of Ophthalmology and Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. colemana@ucla.edu

PURPOSE: To explore the association between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and the presence of glaucoma.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study.

METHODS: In a sample of 1,155 women located in multiple centers in the United States, glaucoma specialists diagnosed glaucoma in at least one eye by assessing optic nerve head photographs and 76-point suprathreshold screening visual fields. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was assessed using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. The relationship between selected fruit and vegetable consumption and glaucoma was investigated using adjusted logistic regression models.

RESULTS: Among 1,155 women, 95 (8.2%) were diagnosed with glaucoma. In adjusted analysis, the odds of glaucoma risk were decreased by

• 69% (odds ratio [OR], 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11 to 0.91) in women who consumed at least one serving per month of green collards and kale compared with those who consumed fewer than one serving per month, by
• 64% (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.77) in women who consumed more than two servings per week of carrots compared with those who consumed fewer than one serving per week, and by
• 47% (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.97) in women who consumed at least one serving per week of canned or dried peaches compared with those who consumed fewer than one serving per month.

CONCLUSIONS: A higher intake of certain fruits and vegetables may be associated with a decreased risk of glaucoma. More studies are needed to investigate this relationship.

PMID: 18355790