(PreserveMacForte.com) People who experience a bothersome black floater in one of their eyes shouldn’t ignore it because it may very well be a sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), reported The Times of India on October 12.
According to the article, AMD results when the macula degenerates as a result of the solidifying of arteries that feed the retina. When this occurs, the retinal tissue suffers a lack of nutrients and oxygen required to perform optimally. In addition to the black floater, other symptoms of AMD include seeing straight lines that seem to be fuzzy or wavy and having fuzzy vision with dark spots. People who are diagnosed with AMD can eventually have trouble operating a vehicle, watching TV and reading books.
There are ways to treat AMD, which can manifest itself in its wet form or dry form. According to the article, multivitamin capsules and antioxidants could help to slow down the progress of the dry form of AMD. In terms of the wet form, people can undergo laser treatments that basically burn the irregular blood vessels to end leakage.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways people can decrease their odds of coming down with AMD in the first place. One method is to keep off the excess pounds. According to the article, people who are overweight are more likely than those who are not to get AMD. Furthermore, keeping fit can keep blood pressure down, which will help on the AMD front since people with hypertension are more likely than people with normal blood pressure to get AMD.
According to the article, people who eat more of the right things can also reduce their odds of getting AMD… or at least slow down its progression should they be diagnosed with the eye condition. Dark leafy green produce such as spinach can help people get the nutrients they need to promote eye health. The report cited the Macular Disease Society as saying that people should eat between two to four servings of dark leafy green produce per week. Furthermore, those interested in keeping their eyes healthy should also incorporate two portions of omega 3-laden fish – such as mackerel or salmon – per week into their diet.