Vitamin D deficiency links to intermediate macular degeneration

In 429 participants aged 65 and older from the ALIENOR study, researchers tracked 700 eyes over 18 years to examine deseasonalized plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and retinal aging. Baseline levels were classified as sufficient (≥50 nmol/l), insufficient (25–49 nmol/l), or deficient (<25 nmol/l).

Compared to sufficient levels, vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk of incident intermediate age-related macular degeneration (hazard ratio 2.34; 95% CI: 1.19–4.61). Vitamin D insufficiency showed a borderline association (hazard ratio 1.74; 95% CI: 0.98–3.08), while no significant associations emerged for advanced disease. Deficient participants also showed significant thickening of the retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch membrane complex over time (0.07 μm per year), with no significant changes observed in other outer retinal layers.