How to Prevent Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration also known as AMD causes blur central vision due to damage to the macula which is a small area at the back of the eye. You may not be able to focus on an object and might lose your vision. It is a common age-related eye problem which still does not have any cure. There are two types of macular degeneration-

• Dry macular degeneration: 80-90% of people suffer from this. Small white and yellow deposits on the eye that can damage the vision over time.
• Wet macular degeneration: Abnormal blood vessels in the eye cause bleeding and sometimes leak fluid. It can lead to severe vision loss.

Prevention for both types is the same. The main difference is in surgical treatment.

The eye care professionals are aware of the risk factors and able to determine to develop AMD in patients. This disease mostly occurs after the age of 60. The optometrist in Mahogany recommends patients at-risk to get regular eye check-up. This includes pupil dilation and further macular degeneration tests such as optical coherence tomography test.

Ways to prevent age-related macular degeneration-

• Quit smoking

Smokers are up to four times at high-risk of developing macular degeneration than non-smokers. It exposes you to dangerous free radicals, unstable molecules that can cause cellular damage and keep the nutrients away from reaching the retina. Therefore, optometry in Mahogany recommends quit smoking as soon as possible.

Be aware of your family history

You should be more careful of the potential symptoms which include-

• Difficulty in recognizing faces
• Struggling to adapt to low light
• Wavy lines appear straight

If any of your family have or had macular degeneration, you are also at great risk of developing it too.

• Eat a lot of green vegetables

Consuming more of dark and green leafy vegetables helps in preventing macular degeneration. The eye clinic in Mahogany suggests eating rich-carotenoids vegetables such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard. These nutrients help protect against cellular damage from free radicals which contributes to eye disease among elderly people.

• Take multivitamin supplements

Patients who are with deficient diets must take multivitamins. People with a risk of AMD can also consult the optometrist in Seton for a specialized blend of supplements known as AREDS. These vitamins do not cure or treat the disease but can reduce the risk of developing AMD.

• Exercise regularly

Regular exercising reduces the risk of developing AMD. People with weight, cholesterol levels and age are at high risk than compared to who maintain an active lifestyle. To prevent AMD, people should walk at least 2 miles a day, three times weekly or equivalent.

• Wear sunglasses

The direct cause of macular degeneration is overexposure to sunlight. This causes damage to both UV and high energy visible or blue light. Therefore, wearing sunglasses offer protection from UV and blue light that causes retinal damage.

It has been found that people who consume little antioxidants with overexposure to blue light are 4 times are at risk of developing advanced or wet AMD.

• Maintain blood pressure and weight

Due to hypertension, poor blood circulation restricts the blood flow to the eyes and increases the risk of macular degeneration. Similarly, cholesterol is a fatty substance that builds up in blood vessels and inhibits the blood flow which is necessary for maintaining healthy eye tissues. Therefore, it is important to lose weight to lower the blood pressure and cholesterol level. This will lower the risk of developing AMD.

• Go for regular eye exams

Eye clinic in Seton recommends having eye examination regularly. If you are between the age of 45 and 60, then get a dilated eye exam every two to three years and after the age of 60, every year.

Optometry in Seton suggests the tools which are used to detect vision problems related to macular degeneration. These tools are used by doctors. If your vision gets darker or gridlines appear wavy after watching the paper grid, visit the doctor.

With these few ways, you can prevent AMD. If you are genetically predisposed to develop AMD, it will develop. Go for regular eye tests for the detection of AMD and get the proper treatment.