Age-related macular degeneration is a painful eye disease that gradually reduces central vision over time. The light-sensing cells of the macula at the back of your eye become destroyed over time but side (peripheral) vision remains undamaged; therefore blindness doesn’t occur as a result.

Macular degeneration comes in two varieties – dry and wet. The latter form occurs when abnormal blood vessels bleed or leak fluid beneath the retina, leading to macular degeneration.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Your eyes rely on the quality of the food you consume for optimal eye health. A diet rich in proteins, vegetables and fruit provides your eyes with essential nutrients necessary for good eye health – these include antioxidant vitamins such as lutein and zeaxanthin that can be found in dark green vegetables as well as some fruits as well as vitamins C and E that can be found within these sources.

These nutrients can also be found in nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, cashews and peanuts as well as in fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines. To optimize eye health the American Academy of Ophthalmology advises eating an RDA of these eye-healthy foods.

Consuming a diet high in saturated fat and salt increases your risk of macular degeneration. You should also limit intake of foods with a high glycemic index index such as pretzels, donuts and white bread that quickly raise your blood sugar; such foods could damage small blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients directly to the retina of the eye.

Lack of essential nutrients may lead to dry macular degeneration, in which your macula thins and degenerates, eventually leading to vision loss. While you should not lose peripheral vision altogether, straight lines or details may become harder to see clearly. Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels form under the retina that leak fluid; this causes central vision loss even faster, making it hard for drivers or computer users to focus.

Wet macular degeneration cannot be prevented, but treatments may slow its progress in some patients. You can access these treatments by visiting your physician who will examine your eyes and may use a grid test or light to check your central vision with light grid. In addition, an ocular photograph could also be taken or certain medications injected for wet macular degeneration treatment.

Early detection of macular degeneration is critical to protecting your sight, so be sure to visit an ophthalmologist regularly at least every year for a comprehensive eye exam. As we age, this checkup becomes even more essential since macular degeneration often does not produce warning signs.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking poses numerous health risks, from lung disease and cancer to macular degeneration and cataracts. Smoking increases these risks through its effects on oxygen molecules that oxidize proteins in the eye causing hardening which ultimately results in cataracts or macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration affects the central part of your vision, making it hard to see fine details and perform everyday tasks such as reading, driving and recognising faces. This condition occurs when retinal tissue breaks down in the back of your eye. Macular degeneration is more common among older adults and can manifest at different rates for both men and women. There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration begins when yellow protein deposits known as drusen appear under the retina, leading to swelling of the macula and leakage of fluid within the eye, eventually resulting in blurred or missing central vision; however peripheral (side) vision usually remains intact with this form of macular degeneration.

Wet macular degeneration is much more serious. This form of macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the retina and start to bleed or leak fluid, leading to rapid vision loss and is the most severe form. Luckily, however, this form can often be detected with a dilated eye exam as retinal blood vessels may often be visible on photographs taken by your doctor.

Optometric exams are essential to your overall health as they can detect many diseases and conditions before symptoms appear. To reduce macular degeneration, making healthier lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, eating an abundant variety of green leafy vegetables and fish, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and taking an AREDS2 formula-based vitamin daily are among the key ways of protecting the eye from macular degeneration. Wear sunglasses which block 99 to 100% UVA/UVB radiation exposure rays as part of a holistic prevention strategy.

Studies have demonstrated that smoking significantly increases the risk for macular degeneration and cataracts – two of the leading causes of blindness in America. Smokefree environments may help protect eyes from both these eye conditions by improving blood flow to them and decreasing oxidation within your body.

Get Regular Eye Exams

An annual comprehensive eye exam is one of the best preventative measures you can take for your vision. A comprehensive eye exam allows your doctor to detect conditions or diseases that could potentially compromise it, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy – many of which don’t present symptoms until later stages. Early diagnosis and treatments of these diseases could prevent permanent vision loss.

Regular eye exams become even more essential as you age, as many eye diseases such as macular degeneration become more prevalent among older adults. Early detection and treatment are key components to maintaining quality of life and independence as we grow older.

An eye doctor will conduct a comprehensive eye exam to assess your eye health and that of surrounding tissues, as well as to detect signs of disease such as high cholesterol or diabetes that cannot be detected with visual inspection alone. He or she may also recommend lifestyle modifications or medications that could prevent or delay their onset.

Your doctor may need to dilate your pupils during an exam using medicated eye drops that make your pupils expand so he or she can view inside your eye better. While dilation takes effect, direct sunlight must be avoided as your eyes will be more susceptible to light sensitivity – disposable sunglasses will be provided when leaving the doctor’s office.

An early indicator of macular degeneration is the appearance of deposits under the retina called drusen, which do not lead to vision loss but increase your risk for more advanced AMD. If these drusen become large or widespread, this could indicate wet macular degeneration which involves abnormal blood vessels under the macula that leak fluid, leading to blind spots in central vision.

Macular degeneration should be treated early and aggressively to decrease its chances of progressing to wet form, which may result in rapid central vision loss and difficulty driving or reading, although peripheral vision remains intact.

Wear Sunglasses

Sunglasses can help significantly decrease exposure to eye-damaging ultraviolet (UV) light throughout the year. Summer UV levels are three times higher than in winter; therefore it’s essential that we protect our eyes all year. When selecting sunglasses, look for ones marked “100 percent protection from all UV light”; remembering that polarized lenses alone do not guarantee they offer UV protection.

UV radiation exposure to the eyes can result in cataracts, macular degeneration and ocular melanoma – potentially blinding diseases – which increase with age. Lifestyle modifications may slow or stop progression altogether.

Macular degeneration occurs when the central part of the retina deteriorates, rendering fine details impossible to see clearly. A person suffering from macular degeneration cannot see straight lines clearly and often loses ability to read, drive or recognize faces; they still retain peripheral vision though. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness among people over 50; lifestyle changes that lower risk include maintaining a healthy diet and weight, not smoking and wearing UV-protective sunglasses.

Sunglasses can also help provide protection from dry eye syndrome, a common condition in which your eyes become dry and itchy due to an absence of tears or moisture in the eye. This condition can be triggered by various factors including smoking and UV radiation exposure; by wearing sunglasses you can keep the surface of your eyes moistened to reduce discomfort and pain.

Sunglasses can add style and practicality to any ensemble, but selecting the appropriate pair for yourself is essential. Make sure it offers 100% UV protection, fits comfortably, suits your lifestyle, and is priced appropriately; additionally shields can fit over existing glasses to provide UV protection while on travel or at cottage or campouts. Lastly, select quality but budget priced sunglasses, since cheaper sunglasses may not provide adequate UV protection or durability.