Follow a Healthy Diet For Macular Degeneration Treatment

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diet for macular degeneration treatment

Diet is key in protecting against macular degeneration. Consume plenty of antioxidant vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Lutein and Omega 3 Fatty Acids for best results.

AREDS trial research demonstrated that using vitamins and nutritional supplements together could significantly decrease progression to advanced AMD for people suffering early dry macular degeneration, which typically manifests itself by developing drusen, large lesions, and geographic atrophy.

Eat a Well-balanced Diet

Macular degeneration is a degenerative eye condition in which the central portion of your retina (inner back layer of eye) deteriorates, impairing your ability to see fine details and reading, driving, or performing other activities requiring central vision. It is the leading cause of blindness among people over 60 and irreversible; however, with proper diet and regular exercise you can reduce macular degeneration’s progression and slow it’s progression.

Not only should you avoid high-fat foods, but you should also aim to add eye-healthy nutrients into your diet such as leafy green vegetables, fruits and eggs; additionally it is wise to consume plenty of fatty fish and vitamin C-rich food sources.

Leafy greens provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals beneficial to eye health. In particular, broccoli and kale both contain lutein and zeaxanthin which have been shown to lower the risk of macular degeneration by absorbing blue light and protecting from free radical damage; they are also believed to delay cataract development and AMD symptoms.

Orange and yellow foods contain vitamin A, an essential nutrient for eye health. Your retinas rely on this essential nutrient for sensing light and sending visual images directly to the brain, making these sources of vitamin A such as sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots and spinach excellent sources.

Your diet should include zinc-rich foods to support proper enzyme functioning in the body and thus aiding your vision. Zinc is one of the main nutrient for retina health and can be found in shellfish, lean beef tenderloin, skinless poultry, peanut butter, and pumpkin seeds – among many other places!

Eggs are an excellent source of vitamins A, lutein and zeaxanthin as well as omega-3 fatty acids that support eye health. Try eating eggs sparingly as they contain high levels of cholesterol.

Avoid Smoking

Macular degeneration treatment centers on eating healthy. According to studies, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables – specifically dark leafy greens, yellow, orange, and other colorful vegetables as well as nuts – is proven to significantly decrease your risk. Furthermore, not smoking and wearing UV-blocking sunglasses can also help slow the progression of this condition.

Macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition that gradually reduces central vision, impairing reading, driving and face recognition abilities over time. Macular degeneration affects older adults primarily and usually affects both eyes at once – although progress may differ according to each eye’s individual speed of progression. While never completely blindness occurs from Macular Degeneration it can make reading, driving and recognising faces more challenging – especially under low lighting conditions. The disease itself results in retinal thinning especially the macula responsible for central vision thinning which causes central vision impairment – often the result of age related changes but can also hereditary traits or eye diseases such as Glaucoma or Psoriasis among others.

There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet. The former is the more prevalent form and typically progresses over time, leading to gradual macula thinning and accumulation of small protein deposits known as drusen on the retina. At this stage, no noticeable vision loss occurs; however it’s essential that regular eye exams be scheduled since this condition could eventually progress into its wet version.

The wet form of AMD is characterized by new blood vessels growing underneath the retina that leak serum or bleed, eventually becoming permanent dark spots in the center of visual field. Over time, vision becomes gradually lost as these dark spots expand further – which increases with age or with family history, smoking habits, high cholesterol or high blood pressure levels. It is especially prevalent among patients who have a family history of AMD as well as smoking cessation, high cholesterol or high blood pressure levels.

There is currently no cure for wet AMD, though certain treatments can help to delay further vision loss. Medication can slow the rate at which disease progresses while laser photocoagulation may help eliminate fluid or blood leakage caused by this condition. Other research treatments such as photodynamic therapy and injections are being explored as possible treatments.

Get Enough Vitamins and Minerals

Researchers have recently discovered that antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals may reduce the risk of macular degeneration by providing your eyes with essential antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants as well as carotenoids beta-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin as well as flavonoids like quercetin and ginkgo biloba. You can obtain all these ingredients through various foods.

Consuming fruits and vegetables packed with essential nutrients is one way to combat age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss among those over 80. Studies have revealed that those who regularly eat three or more servings of fruit are 36% less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration compared to those who rarely consume this food source.

Studies conducted on leafy green vegetables found that their consumption can reduce macular degeneration by 43%, likely because these vegetables contain carotenoids which help maintain a healthy macula and protect against macular degeneration.

Low-glycemic index foods such as refined sugar, white bread and pasta increase your risk for age-related macular degeneration. Whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits provide beneficial glycemic index foods.

Vitamin B12 can also help protect your eyes by helping reduce macular degeneration risk by stopping cataract formation, and you can find this nutrient in foods such as fish, poultry, eggs and milk. A deficiency may require supplementation via injection or infusion; however this should not be necessary if enough food contains vitamin B12.

When purchasing a macular degeneration vitamin supplement, be sure it contains both lutein and zeaxanthin as well as FloraGLO-grade lutein from AREDS 2 rather than cheaper versions that may not be as bioavailable. Also look for one without artificial dyes, preservatives or chemical additives – such as PreserVision’s AREDS 2 formula which meets all these criteria.

Avoid Alcohol

Macular degeneration (MD) is an eye condition which affects the macula (the central portion of your retina) resulting in blurry and hazy vision. Though typically not leading to total blindness, MD can make reading, driving a car, recognising faces and colors difficult and is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over 50.

Dry and wet macular degenerations can be broken down into two groups; dry and wet. Eighty to ninety percent of cases fall under the dry form, where small deposits called drusen form under the retina and become visible during an eye exam. While dry macular degeneration progresses slower, it still can lead to progressive blurring of central vision as well as blind spots within your visual field.

Ten to fifteen percent of cases involve abnormal blood vessels forming beneath the retina that leak fluid and blood into the macula, known as “wet macular degeneration”, leading to more rapid vision loss than its dry counterpart. While wet macular degeneration often starts similarly, its progression can often happen more rapidly.

About the Author:
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Alexander Suprun

Alex started his first web marketing campaign in 1997 and continues harvesting this fruitful field today. He helped many startups and well-established companies to grow to the next level by applying innovative inbound marketing strategies. For the past 26 years, Alex has served over a hundred clients worldwide in all aspects of digital marketing and communications. Additionally, Alex is an expert researcher in healthcare, vision, macular degeneration, natural therapy, and microcurrent devices. His passion lies in developing medical devices to combat various ailments, showcasing his commitment to innovation in healthcare.

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