Preventing Age Related Macular Degeneration

Nothing you do can change your race or genetic makeup or keep you from getting older - all major risk factors for macular degeneration. But preliminary evidence suggests that any of the following measures may help prevent or delay the development of macular degeneration. These measures are best started before macular degeneration develops and your vision starts to decrease:

Preventing Age Related Macular Degeneration

 

• Research indicates that people at high risk of the advanced stages of macular degeneration were able to lower that risk with a dietary supplement of antioxidants, zinc and copper. Antioxidants are substances that prevent oxidative damage to tissue such as the retina. Foods with antioxidants are those rich in vitamins A, C and E. And it helps to eat a nutritionally balanced, low-fat diet containing five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are nutrients found in high concentrations in egg yolk, corn and spinach. Preliminary studies show that high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in your blood may protect your retina.
• Wear sunglasses that block out harmful ultraviolet light. Orange-, yellow- or amber-tinted lenses can filter out both ultraviolet light and blue light that may damage your retina. 
• Stop smoking. Smokers are two to three times more likely to develop macular degeneration than are nonsmokers. Ask your doctor for help to stop smoking. 
• Manage your other diseases. For example, if you have cardiovascular disease, take your medication and follow your doctor's instructions for controlling the condition. If it's not well controlled, it may contribute to the onset of macular degeneration. 
• Get regular eye exams. Early detection of macular degeneration increases your chances of preventing serious vision loss. If you're over the age of 50, get an exam every 2 to 5 years. If you have a family history of macular degeneration, have your eyes examined more frequently, perhaps annually. 
• Screen your vision regularly. If you've received a diagnosis of early-stage macular degeneration, your doctor may suggest that you regularly monitor your vision at home with an Amsler grid. Doing so may enable you to detect subtle changes in your vision at the earliest possible time and seek help promptly. 

If you have some vision loss owing to macular degeneration, your eye doctor can prescribe optical devices called low-vision aids that will help you see better for close-up work. Or your doctor may refer you to a low-vision specialist. In addition a wide variety of support services and rehabilitation programs are available that may help you adjust your lifestyle.

Screening your vision 

You can check your vision using an Amsler grid. This simple test may help you detect changes in your sight that you otherwise may not notice. You can perform the test with the grid in hand, as shown at right, or hang the grid someplace where you'll see it often - on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror, for instance. Here's what you do:

• Hold the grid 14 inches in front of you in good light. You need to use your reading glasses if you normally wear them.
• Cover one eye.
• Look directly at the center dot with the uncovered eye. 
• While looking at this dot, see whether all of the lines of the grid are straight, complete and of the same contrast. 
• Repeat steps 1 through 4 with the other eye. 
• If any part of the grid is missing or looks wavy, blurred or dark, contact your ophthalmologist immediately. 

Preventing Age Related Macular Degeneration

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