Carrots may not really help you see in the dark, but brightly coloured yellow and green vegetables do have similar sight-enhancing properties, a study published yesterday says.

According to the Journal of Ophthalmology, sweetcorn, broccoli, peas and squash contain the compounds lutein and zeaxanthin, which offer protection against damage to eyesight in later life. The compounds are carotenoids - carrots contain beta-carotene - the substances that give fruit and vegetables, in addition to egg yolk, their colour.

A study of post-menopausal women found that a high consumption of these vegetables was associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The leading cause of blindness in old people in developed countries, AMD occurs when the region at the back of the retina that produces the sharpest vision deteriorates over time.

While the condition is incurable, previous research has suggested that lutein and zeaxanthin may help combat AMD by absorbing damaging blue light, preventing attack by destructive groups of atoms called free radicals, and strengthening eye cell membranes.

Scientists led by Dr Suzen Moeller of the University of Wisconsin studied women aged 50 to 79 who had either high or low dietary intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin.

They concluded that higher intakes over 15 years were associated with a reduced risk of intermediate-stage AMD in women under 75.