(www.PreserveMacForte.com) Approximately 15 million Americans have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a vision-impairment ailment that can ultimately lead to blindness, said the National Eye Institute in a recent PRWeb press release.
According to the institute AMD generally impacts people who are 60 years old and older. While there is no cure for the ailment, people can slow down the rate of progression by, first, being diagnosed in a timely manner and then, second, undergoing appropriate treatment. While AMD generally impacts older people, that is not to say that the vision-impairment condition is unavoidable. With the proper lifestyle changes and good eating habits, people can lower, if not entirely eliminate, their odds of getting AMD.
The press release noted that age-related macular degeneration occurs when yellow deposits develop beneath the retina. The problem with these deposits is that they destroy cells that are sensitive to light and can lead to blurred vision, loss of central vision or even distorted vision. AMD can hinder people’s ability to read books, watch television, drive vehicles, see colors or recognize the faces of people they know. What this basically means is that AMD has the ability to alter the way people live their lives.
The press release cited Dr. Sophie Bakri, a retina specialist from the Mayo Clinic located in Rochester, Minnesota, as saying that AMD risks are higher for people who smoke, who are over weight, who have a family history of the illness or who are hypertensive. Dr. Bakri added that people need to take their eye health seriously by scheduling regular examinations with their eye doctors. According to the press release, an ophthalmologist will be able to identify early signs of AMD and will consequently be in a position to refer patients to retina specialists. Such specialists will be able to put a treatment plan in place.
While there is no way to completely rue out the changes of getting AMD, there are still things people can do to at least reduce their odds of getting the blindness-causing eye condition. In addition to the aforementioned tips mentioned by Dr. Bakri, people can also eat fish with omega-3 fatty acids, consume lots of leafy green vegetables and exercising regularly.
Reference: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/1/prweb10379004.htm