Our vision changes over time for several reasons. From middle age onward, refractive problems like presbyopia become more common, floaters and dry eyes can increase, similarly colored objects can bleed together, and it can become harder to see things when driving at night.
Macular degeneration (also known as age-related macular degeneration, or AMD) is an eye disease common in people over 50 that affects central vision and is the leading cause of serious vision loss.
There are ways to manage the effects this condition has on your vision, but what can be done to prevent it from happening? If you live in the Pelham Gardens area of the Bronx, New York and you’re struggling with eye problems like macular degeneration, the medical staff at Bronx Eye Associates can help.
This illness impacts your central vision, the area of your eyes that allows you to make out fine details of objects directly in front of you, which is the responsibility of the macula located at the center of your retina. It can affect one or both eyes and can come in either dry (atrophic) or wet (exudative) form, with dry being the most common.
You can inherit this illness from your family, but can just as easily happen without genetic predisposition due to other factors like diabetes, eye infections, or head injuries. Other risk factors include obesity, smoking, hypertension, a diet high in saturated fats, and being white.
There are several options for managing the vision loss that comes with macular degeneration, including medications, therapies, and supplements:
AntiVEGF drugs and the AREDS 2 supplements are the options for dry macular degeneration. Surgery is only done in wet macular degeneration and the criteria are very specific and strict.
Whether or not macular degeneration can be avoided is a question of the modifiable and nonmodifiable factors involved. Things like family history, ethnicity, gender, and age can’t really be changed, so it makes prevention more difficult.
Conditions like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), obesity, and sleep apnea are things that can be changed and lower your risk. Some habits can be modified to lower risks as well such as stopping smoking and getting more physically active.
When we can accurately assess your risk for AMD, a combination of supplements and dietary changes can help to lower the chances of getting it. Vitamins C and E, beta carotene, zinc, copper, and an antioxidant-rich diet can all help to reduce your chances of getting AMD, as can the AREDS 2 supplements mentioned above.
AMD can cause vision loss, but we have many ways to help reduce its impact on your life. Make an appointment with the team at Bronx Eye Associates today to find out how we can help.
