Carers looking after the needs of people with vision impairment issues such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) tend to come down with heath concerns of their own, reported The Border Mail on April 8.
The article, which focused on the findings of a study from Macular Disease Foundation Australia, noted that people who provide care for those living with vision loss have numerous health issues themselves, such as stress and depression. According to the article, the study found that caregivers are usually older and face greater stress risks compared to the general population of older people living in Australia. Furthermore, two-thirds of caregivers dealt with chronic health issues and almost one-tenth had no carers to help them when they were feeling ill.
According to the article, AMD, the primary cause of vision loss in Australia, is generally the sort of eye ailment that only impacts older people. In fact, Julie Heraghty, chief executive officer of Macular Disease Foundation Australia, said in the article that 1 million people who are 50+ showed symptoms of the eye ailment.
In other news, various reports have shown that there are things people can do to lessen their odds of coming down with AMD. Avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption are but two ways to lower the risks of getting the eye condition that, in the later stages of the wet version of the disease, can lead to blindness.
People who want to safeguard their eye health should also eat lots of leafy green vegetables, consume lots of fish with omega-3 fatty acids, maintain an ideal body weight, avoid hypertension, keep cholesterol levels down, exercise regularly and see their eye care provider annually. Those who have a family history of macular degeneration should ask their eye care provider how often they should have their eyes examined.
While AMD generally only impacts people who are older, the aging process need not necessarily lead to the eye condition. In fact, people who follow the aforementioned advice can potentially avoid having to deal with AMD, an ailment that makes it harder to read, watch television, drive or even recognize the faces of close friends and relatives.