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There's some truth to the belief that "eating carrots is good for the eyes," the Harvard publication said, but noted that diets containing more antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C "are even better."

The Harvard Health Letter said in its May issue that a recent government study finding that Vitamin E and other vitamins and minerals may slow progression of macular degeneration "was a success."

The study, called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study or AREDS, was conducted by the National Institutes of Health. Doses used in the trial were 400 international units of Vitamin E, 500 milligrams of Vitamin C, 15 milligrams of beta carotene, 80 milligrams of zinc, and two milligrams of copper.

The Harvard Health Letter pointed out, however, that the positive results were in people who already had moderate to serious macular degeneration, and that the vitamin-mineral combination hasn't been shown to help "people who had no macular degeneration or only a mild case." The Harvard publication recommended that patients don't take vitamins and minerals for the condition until "an ophthalmologist has examined your eyes and determined that you're a high-risk patient."

More than a quarter of Americans aged 75 or older show some signs of macular degeneration, the Harvard Health Letter said. Severe vision loss can result, "although no one goes totally blind from macular degeneration."