Posts Tagged ‘macular degeneration’

How To Fight Age-Related Macular Degeneration

There are millions of Americans all over the country suffering from the effects of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). While treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration is limited, there are many different options for people to slow the progress of the degenerative eye disease.

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-Related Macular Degeneration is a serious eye disease that affects the retina, distorting and deteriorating your ability to see crisp, clear objects. For people over the age of 50, the arteries that run to the retina can harden, preventing blood from reaching the cells vital for your vision.

When the arteries simply harden and stop providing the retina with the blood it need to function, it is referred to as “dry” macular degeneration. For some people, the eye disease doesn’t stop there. The body can attempt to form new blood vessels to supply the retina with the blood it needs; unfortunately this tissue can damage the retina you can lose the majority of your vision.

If you live in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and would like to prevent the onset of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, the best thing you can do is schedule a consultation with an experienced optometrist or ophthalmologist.

In addition to scheduling your Age-Related Macular Degeneration consultation, there are a few different safety measures you can take during everyday life to help avoid developing ARMD:

  • Stop Smoking – Perhaps the biggest step you can take, smoking not only puts you at risk for many other health problems, but smokers are four times more likely to develop Age-Related Macular Degeneration
  • Maintain a Healthy Diet – A diet rich in leafy, green foods can help prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration because the carotenoids within the vegetables decrease the risk of developing or advancing ARMD
  • Eat More Fish – While this may coincide with the second suggestions, studies have shown that people who eat   more than two servings of fish every week are 45% less likely to develop ARMD than people who rarely eat fish
  • Exercise Regularly – Maintaining a regular exercise program can help you keep your cardiovascular system healthy, making you less likely to develop the hard arteries that lead to ARMD
  • Wear Sunglasses – Overexposure to the sun is directly linked to developing Age-Related Macular Degeneration, which is why is it important to wear sunglasses when going outside or participating in outdoor activities

If you’ve already taken some of these precautions, the best thing you can do now is to schedule regular eye exams.

If you live in Charlotte, North Carolina and would like to learn more about ARMD, please visit the website of Horizon Eye Care today.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/vision-articles/how-to-fight-agerelated-macular-degeneration-1580384.html

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What is Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Most often, it’s an age related disease, and is often referred to as Age Related Macular Degeneration. This disease affects over 13 million people in America.

What does it do? Macular Degeneration slowly breaks down the macula, the light-sensitive area of the retina, which gives you sharp and clear vision. Because this is a mostly age related disease, people over 65 years are affected more. However, macular degeneration can, and does affect people at all ages. So it’s a good idea to keep your eyes healthy now.

Macular degeneration causes a slow loss of vision, and often, you’re not even aware of it for a period of time. Here are some sign of macular degeneration:

- You see a fuzzy or blurry area in your central vision.
– Your vision seems fuzzy or blurry.
– Straight lines look wavy to you.

Currently, it is unknown exactly what causes macular degeneration. However, macular degeneration tends to run in families, and smoking and drinking can increase your risk for this disease. Studies have shown that people who smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day are 300% more likely to lose their vision than people who didn’t smoke.

The best prevention method known is getting enough of the essential nutrients. Vitamins A, C, and E reduce your risk for macular degeneration, and also slow down its progress if you’re already affected. If you are a heavy smoker, this will also increase your chance of having macular degeneration.

Drinking too much alcohol also affects your eyesight. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are carotenes that help reduce you risk for eye health problems. Studies have found that people who drink heavily have less Lutein and Zeaxanthin. So by drinking a lot of alcohol, you’re also putting your eyesight at risk.

High fat intake is associated with an increased risk of macular degeneration in both women and men. By reducing and limiting your consumption of fats can help reduce your risk of having macular degeneration. A healthy, balanced diet that includes more white meat and less red meat, and reducing consumption of whole milk, cheese, margarine, and butter can greatly reduce your fat intake.

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Learn how you can naturally improve your eyesight, and begin to see better.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/vision-articles/what-is-macular-degeneration-1189689.html

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