Impact of an Individualized Dietary Intervention on Body Composition and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Pilot Study

Background/Objectives: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of permanent deterioration of central vision in elderly people. While anti-VEGF therapy remains the standard of care for neovascular AMD, disease progression and functional deterioration remain common. Methods: This pilot prospective controlled study evaluated the effects of an individualized dietary intervention in patients with neovascular AMD receiving anti-VEGF therapy. A total of 43 patients completed a six-month follow-up and were divided into a control group (standard treatment) and an intervention group receiving a personalized dietary plan. Anthropometric and body composition parameters were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Clinical retinal outcomes were classified as improvement, no change, or deterioration. Statistical analyses included parametric and non-parametric tests. Results: Retinal outcomes did not differ significantly between groups, although patients with retinal improvement or stabilization in the intervention group tended to exhibit more favorable changes in body composition. After adjustment for baseline values using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), the dietary intervention remained significantly associated with reductions in body weight and BMI (p < 0.01). After 6 months, the intervention group demonstrated a numerically higher frequency of retinal improvement and a lower frequency of retinal deterioration compared with the control group; however, these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.386). Conclusions: An individualized dietary intervention effectively improved body composition in patients with neovascular AMD but did not produce a statistically significant effect on retinal status over six months. Nevertheless, the dietary intervention group showed numerically more favorable retinal outcomes than the control group. Dietary modification may support general health and weight management.