Macular degeneration is a prevalent eye disease that threatens central vision. This condition develops when light-sensing cells within the macula begin to fail and stop working effectively, leaving straight-ahead vision blurry and making straighter lines less distinct.

Home and natural remedies can assist in the prevention of macular degeneration. These include eating healthfully, taking nutritional supplements regularly, exercising frequently, and avoiding certain risk factors.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Macular degeneration refers to the breakdown of the macula, an area located on the back of our eyes that allows us to see fine details for tasks such as reading and driving. As your macula deteriorates, central vision becomes unclear and difficult to see; clock faces or fine details in books become harder to see clearly. Macular degeneration does not result in total blindness as it only affects central vision; peripheral and color vision remain intact. Macular degeneration is typically diagnosed through a visual acuity test and dilated eye exam in which a doctor uses an Amsler grid chart to check your central vision, and an angiography procedure that injects an orange-red dye into one arm and travels through its blood vessels to create cross-sectional images of retinal circulation.

Macular degeneration comes in two primary forms, dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration involves the gradual thinning or degradation of retinal tissues which results in yellow deposits known as drusen under the retina – although these deposits don’t lead to immediate vision loss, their growth or increase can indicate an increased risk for advanced macular degeneration over time.

Wet macular degeneration (WMD) is characterized by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid under the retina near the macula, leading to distort or blur central vision and, in severe cases, sudden loss of straight-ahead vision. Unfortunately, no treatment exists yet but you can reduce your chances of WMD by eating healthy with plenty of antioxidants, maintaining an appropriate weight, exercising regularly, quitting smoking and wearing sunglasses that block UV radiation.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Diet is essential for anyone, but especially so for people with an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD causes damage to the macula — the center of retina that sends light signals directly from eyeball to brain — compromising fine details at close range and creating blind spots within vision. A healthy diet can be especially helpful if your family history involves AMD.

Studies have demonstrated the beneficial effect of eating a well-balanced diet and taking vitamin supplements in slowing dry AMD. A healthy diet should include fruits, vegetables and whole grains along with lean proteins while limiting unhealthy fats such as saturated fats. It’s wise to drink lots of water rather than sugary beverages for best results.

People living with dry AMD should make an extra effort to visit Westside Eye Clinic regularly for comprehensive eye exams and comprehensive retinal exams. Your eye doctor can use special instruments, including an Amsler grid chart, to detect changes in retinal pigmentation. Your physician may also suggest receiving anti-VEGF injections into their eyes in order to stop abnormal blood vessels from growing under the macula and leaking or bleeding under it – this service is offered as part of Westside Eye Clinic’s treatments for wet macular degeneration.

No cure exists for wet macular degeneration; however, maintaining a healthy diet and receiving regular injections can slow its progress and delay further vision loss. If you notice any change to your vision, schedule an appointment with our eye doctor immediately so we can find the most effective solutions to keep it as healthy as possible.

Exercise Regularly

People who exercise regularly are doing themselves and their bodies a great service by maintaining healthy weight, increasing energy levels and protecting against serious health conditions. What many don’t realize is that regular physical activity also benefits eyes; studies show an active lifestyle significantly decreases risks for eye diseases like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.

Regular exercise helps improve blood flow to the eyes and can prevent the development of clogged blood vessels that lead to vision loss. Furthermore, research shows that exercise helps decrease protein deposits known as drusen that form in our eyes over time – an indicator of age and macular degeneration.

ARMD occurs when cells in the macular region of the retina start to break down, leaving central vision blurry or distorted and leading to severe vision loss among Americans over 50. Early signs of ARMD typically include blurry spots near the center of your vision or gray patches with darker tinted areas; larger spots called drusen may indicate advanced stages that lead to blindness.

Recent research demonstrates that people who engage in regular physical activity are 70% less likely to develop age related macular degeneration than sedentary lifestyle individuals. Exercise also lowers your risk by strengthening and stretching ciliary muscles that contribute to visual acuity, making visual acuity stronger overall. Experts advise getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity three times weekly for maximum effect – walking, swimming or cycling are great forms of workout to avoid eye strain!

Quit Smoking

Smokers have an increased risk of macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma due to the oxidative stress and inflammation caused by smoking which damages blood vessels within their eyeballs.

Smoking also increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, both of which are detrimental to eye health. Smoking also raises your diabetes risk which may result in diabetic retinopathy resulting in vision loss due to changes in retinal blood vessels that can be difficult or impossible to treat.

Studies show that those who quit smoking have a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration. This is likely due to decreased production of oxygen-rich blood to the retina, and ultimately helping prevent AMD. Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in America, impacting over 10 million Americans and impacting central vision which is essential for reading, driving and recognising faces.

Protecting yourself against macular degeneration requires taking several measures, such as avoiding tobacco smoke and secondhand smoke exposure, following a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise, wearing sunglasses and having regular eye exams – particularly important if there is a history of macular degeneration in your family or any other eye diseases.

Optometrists must help their patients understand the negative impacts of smoking cigarette smoking on their eyesight and educate them about ways they can quit. Many who smoke are unaware of its harmful impact on their eye health and its link to serious conditions like ocular cancer and macular degeneration; by following the simple steps outlined above, optometrists can help their patients take steps toward healthier eyesight for years.

Wear Sunglasses

Wearing sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays will protect your eyes from damage caused by ultraviolet radiation and reduce the strain caused by it, helping prevent or slow macular degeneration. Sunglasses that block out both types of radiation could reduce glare that causes eye strain while simultaneously decreasing UV damage, which increases risk for macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration is an age-related eye disease that gradually degrades your central portion of vision, making it more challenging to read, drive or perform other daily activities such as threading a needle. The condition results from damage to the macula (a small area on your retina that enables you to see fine details clearly) which leads to blurry central vision, difficulty distinguishing colors or performing activities such as driving. It causes blurry central vision as well as difficulty threading needles or threading needles – in other words a loss of fine details which means more difficulty is present for tasks that involve reading or driving which makes reading or doing other tasks challenging as a result.

Retinal Degeneration affects over 13 million Americans and is the leading cause of blindness for those aged 60 or over. While irreversible, you can reduce your chance of it through regular dilated eye exams, eating a nutritious diet rich in dark leafy vegetables, yellow and orange fruits, eggs, fish (particularly salmon) and healthy fats, being physically active and not smoking.

Macular degeneration can be prevented through regular dilated eye exams with an ophthalmologist and by following healthy lifestyle habits such as getting adequate restful sleep, wearing sunscreen when going outside, avoiding direct sunlight and donning a wide-brimmed hat or sunglasses when outdoors. You could also try supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin-containing vitamins which have been shown to slow dry macular degeneration’s progression, while for wet macular degeneration utilizing medications to stop blood vessel leakage or laser treatment that close abnormal blood vessels can help improve your vision significantly.