Women with high vitamin D levels, could prevent macular degeneration, or AMD, which is the leading cause of adult blindness.

A new study shows that women younger than 75 who have high levels of vitamin D in their diet decrease their risk of age-related vision loss by almost 60 percent.

Currently, there are limited treatments in preventing the progression of macular degeneration and no established means to prevent its occurrence.

In the study, women who consumed the most vitamin D cut their risk of developing early AMD by more than half when compared to women with vitamin D-poor diets.

People can get vitamin D from the sun, but doctors say vitamin D found in foods like milk, cereal, oatmeal and fish is the most effective.

Considering many Americans are actually deficient in vitamin D, this study may offer one more reason for women to include vitamin D-rich foods in the diet.

Women with vitamin D levels well above the recommended minimum saw the most benefit, said the lead author on the study, Amy Millen of the University of Buffalo.