According to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation more then 10 million Americans suffer with this condition.1 Being the leading cause of vision loss or impairment in the USA there has been significant research and advancement in early detection. For the warning symptoms and early detection methods specialists in your state can be found here.
Vision, what an important and vital sense to the human experience. The way we see and view the world we can often take our eyes for granted. But as we age or some of us being inclined to genetic predisposition our vision can severely decline. Macular degeneration affects many Americans but its vital to know there is treatment available.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration is a problematic and serious eye disease that affects the centre of your field of vision. It causes vision to become blurry and can lead to loss of vision in the middle of what you would normally see. This makes it difficult to read, drive and to even see people’s faces. In some cases severe macular degeneration can cause blindness.
It is caused by damage to nerves in your eye that begin to degenerate in nature not performing to traditional standards. This damage can be affects of ageing or genetic predisposition.
The Two Main Types, Wet and Dry
Dry Macular Degeneration — dry is the more slower developing condition that causes gradual vision loss. It can be harder to diagnose. This condition is caused by the gradual loss of cells in the retina and is the most common kind.
Wet Macular Degeneration — this form of the disease leads to rapid loss of central vision. It happens when abnormal blood vessels grow under the macular and leak blood and fluid. Wet degeneration is the more serious and must be acted on fast to stop further implications or blindness.
While there is no immediate cure for macular degeneration, there are ready available treatments to help. These remedies help to reduce your risk of further vision loss and eye damage. It is important to be early in diagnosing this condition as early prevention can dramatically improve your chances of retaining vision.
What Are The Early Warning Signs And Symptoms?
Some of the symptoms of macular degeneration are:
1. Blurry vision in the centre of your field of vision
2. Excessive glare when looking at light sources
3. Hard time reading, driving or seeing people’s faces
4. Difficulty telling colors apart
5. Problem with judging distances
6. Needing bright light to see TV or reading material
7. Noticing blind spots in your vision
8. Straight lines appearing as wavy objects is a common symptom
Treatments for Macular Degeneration
Like we mentioned earlier there is no immediate cure for macular degeneration. But recognising key factors in assisting the function of your eyes is vital to keeping your vision clear for as long as possible.
There are three main treatments for macular degeneration.
1. Eat The Right Foods: Eating foods high in Vitamin A like fish, spinach, carrots and yellow fruits can reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration. Omega 3 containing foods like salmon, walnuts and avocados are also wonderful for your eyes.2
2. Quitting Smoking: Smoking is a leading cause of macular degeneration so quitting would be a key factor in reducing risks.
3. Wear Sunglasses: UV radiation from sunlight may be a factor in the development of macular degeneration so use sunglasses to avoid eye damage and screen out harmful rays when outside or near windows with moving people who you have trouble making out due to macular issues.3
BONUS TIP: Blu-light blocking glasses can be extremely beneficial thanks to leading research. Wearing these glasses when watching TV or other high blu-light emitting devices can protect your eyes.
4. Take Prescribed Medications: – There are prescription medications available that help with dry or wet forms of the disease but these often come with side effects such as blurred vision, head aches and dizziness that will vary. You will have to consult your medical practitioner in order to understand the different medications on offer.
5. Consider Surgery or Laser Treatments: These may be suggested by your medical practitioner if your sight is becoming on the extreme side of blurry or blindness.4
Find Macular Degeneration Specialists Near You
When it comes to protecting your eye sight and having longstanding 20/20 vision it is important to be proactive. If you’re experiencing any symptoms as discussed in this article it is important to open a dialogue with a medical expert who can help with early prevention of macular degeneration. To find leading local eye specialists in your area an online search can identify treatment plans and options at affordable rates:
Find Macular Degeneration Treatment
Reference:
- https://www.macular.org/what-macular-degeneration-alt
- https://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/vitamin_a.htm
- https://www.brightfocus.org/macular/article/how-choose-right-sunglasses
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/laser-photocoagulation-for-agerelated-macular-degeneration
