A Mediterranean-style diet might significantly reduce your risk of a major cause of blindness, a new study suggests. Poor diet is emerging as an important factor in the development of a degenerative eye disease called age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It's a leading cause of vision loss among older Americans.

"You are what you eat," said Dr Emily Chew, spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an adviser to the research group that conducted the study. "Chronic diseases, such as AMD, dementia, obesity and diabetes, all have roots in poor dietary habits. It's time to take quitting a poor diet as seriously as quitting smoking," Chew said in an academy news release.