Macular Degeneration: The New Vision Loss Epidemic

Most peoples biggest fear with age is losing vision Not being
able to read or see the faces of your family is so terrifying to
some that they fear it more than dying With many baby boomers
now aged over 60 some are starting to experience one of the
leading causes of blindness in the US and Europe – Macular
Degeneration
Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is a degenerative
condition of the retina at the back of the eye The central or
macular part of the retina becomes worn and damaged As this
area is responsible for your sharp vision needs like reading and
driving, macular damage is potentially devastating ARMD usually
produces a slow painless loss of vision, but some sufferers
experience more rapid changes The main sign of ARMD is fuzzy or
distorted vision when you look directly at things In 2004 top
US eye researchers estimated that 175 million Americans had
significant symptoms of ARMD and they estimate that by 2020 this
number will be almost three million
There are two types of ARMD: Dry ARMD and Wet or Neovascular
ARMD
Dry ARMD is the most common and least severe form of the disease
affecting around 85% to 90% of sufferers As dry ARMD progresses
tiny lumps of yellowish debris called “Drusen” begin to form
under the central retina which becomes thinned and pigmented
This gradually breaks down the smooth functioning of the central
vision The good news for those affected is that the vision
changes occur very slowly and many keep most of their vision
Generally those affected do not go “black” blind but they may
have poor vision for everyday tasks like reading and driving
The bad news is that once the central part of the retina is
damaged it is gone forever
Wet ARMD is the worst type and is responsible for most of the
cases of severe vision loss In this form new fragile blood
vessels growing under the retina begin to leak This leakage
causes retinal swelling and severe macular scarring Without
quick action there is rapid loss of central vision, a
debilitating loss With around 200,000 new cases of wet ARMD in
the US each year you have a lot to worry about as you get
older
What causes ARMD?
As ARMD can run in families, there must be some genetic links,
but the exact cause of ARMD is still not fully understood
Although it occurs in all races it is more common in whites and
particularly females Recent studies suggest that even though
there is a normal aging “wear and tear” component to ARMD, the
recent large increase in cases may be due to modern dietary
problems
What treatment is available?
There is no outright cure for ARMD but some treatments can slow
the progress of the disease and help maintain better quality
longer for some people
Some forms of wet ARMD respond to a treatment called
Photodynamic Therapy A drug called Visudyne can help seal up
leaky subretinal blood vessels when activated by a special cold
laser This reduces the swelling and slows down macular scarring
helping delay the more rapid vision loss
There is no current active treatment for dry ARMD but it was
discovered that two dietary antioxidants were important for
macular function In 2001 a special study called the AREND study
was released This showed that giving the antioxidants Lutein
and Zeaxanthin to ARMD patients helped slow the progress of the
disease in around one third of cases These important
antioxidants are found in many fruits and vegetables
What can you do to minimize your risk of Age Related Macular
Degeneration?
Eat a low fat diet Eat lots of green and yellow colored
vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and corn Avoid junk food
Have regular eye examinations, especially if you have a family
history of macular degeneration Protect your eyes from
potentially harmful Ultraviolet light Above all – Don’t smoke!
If you are aged over 60 and start to get a blurry patch in the
middle of your vision, or straight lines start to look bent or
distorted, then you need to see your eye care practitioner
urgently!

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