Macular degeneration, also known as retinal deterioration, causes central vision to become clouded or dim while not impacting peripheral (side) vision. It usually begins when protein clumps known as drusen form under your retina.

Undergoing regular eye exams is important even if there are no symptoms, as early detection and treatment can slow the progression of disease.

1. Get Regular Eye Exams

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss among those over 55, making driving, reading and other everyday tasks increasingly difficult to perform. Although symptoms may appear gradually over time, regular eye exams should help detect macular degeneration before it progresses further.

Eye exams include a thorough history review, examination of both front and inner surfaces of eyes and tests to evaluate visual ability. Your eye doctor will dilate your pupils and use a special tool to examine your macula, the small area at the center of retina responsible for central vision. They’ll look out for tiny yellow protein deposits called drusen that often don’t lead to macular degeneration but could indicate progression – and can often detect these at an early stage during an examination while they remain asymptomatic.

Macular degeneration comes in two varieties, wet and dry. Most people with macular degeneration will have dry macular degeneration which primarily affects those over 65 and can lead to gradual central vision loss. While wet macular degeneration is less prevalent but more serious; it occurs when abnormal blood vessels form under the retina and begin leaking fluid or bleeding, detectable via fundus fluorescein angiography tests.

Both forms of macular degeneration can be managed early if detected early enough, making treatment much less likely. To stop macular degeneration in its tracks, regular eye exams with your physician are key as is eating foods rich in eye healthy nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin; such as kale, spinach, squash or other fruits and vegetables high in these substances.

2. Eat a Healthy Diet

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision loss among adults 50 or over, yet it doesn’t need to be inevitable. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nutrient-rich foods may help slow its progression or even stop it entirely.

Eye doctors use various tools to examine the health of both your retina and macula, such as an Amsler grid which detects any changes in central area vision. A harmless orange-red dye known as fluorescein may also be injected into one of your veins in your arm for use as a blood vessel monitor; its pathway then allows the doctor to check for abnormalities on retinal blood vessel walls.

Regular comprehensive eye exams are key to diagnosing macular degeneration early. By seeing an ophthalmologist every two years for exams, your eyesight will be monitored regularly for signs of macular degeneration – so any changes will be caught early and addressed before it worsens. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s guidelines, annual exams should begin after age 40 — or whenever you notice changes in vision.

Macular degeneration risk factors, like family history and smoking, cannot always be controlled for. A diet rich in green leafy vegetables, fruits and nutrient-rich whole grains will protect your eye health.

Your eyes and heart health are intrinsically intertwined; both depend on tiny arteries to deliver oxygen and nutrients for proper function. While these vessels may be smaller than those found in your heart, they still must remain in good condition to allow your body to operate optimally.

Diets low in antioxidant vitamins can contribute to macular degeneration. Eating foods rich in these essential vitamins and minerals such as spinach, kale, squash, peas, berries can all help. Select foods containing carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin found in dark green vegetables such as kale and spinach as well as yellow fruit like apricots and pumpkins are especially helpful. Omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish like salmon or tuna will also benefit your eye health.

3. Quit Smoking

Cigarette smoking is a known health risk that increases your risk for various eye diseases and visual impairments, according to two studies in men and women published by Journal of the American Medical Association. Two such studies revealed smoking significantly increased their chances of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and glaucoma; quitting smoking is one of the easiest preventive steps you can take to safeguard eye health.

The retina is the inner layer of the eye that captures light and converts it to electrical impulses that travel to our brains for interpretation into visual images. Macular degeneration affects primarily the central area of retina known as macula, responsible for sharp, clear central vision necessary for reading, driving and recognising faces. Macular degeneration causes central vision loss which may eventually lead to blindness if untreated; its severity cannot be reversed nor prevented but certain lifestyle factors may help lower your risk such as getting regular eye exams, eating healthy diet, exercising regularly and staying socially engaged with others.

As there is currently no cure for wet macular degeneration, but taking vitamin supplements containing antioxidants and zinc could potentially slow its progress. Please consult your healthcare provider prior to taking these vitamins for best results.

Smoking is well-known to be detrimental to health, yet many don’t appreciate how damaging it is for eyes as well. Studies have demonstrated that smokers are more likely to develop wet form age-related macular degeneration and experience rapid vision loss from it than nonsmokers.

Smoking-related eye disease risks increase with each pack-year consumed. Current and former smokers are significantly more likely to experience geographic atrophy – in which abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the retina causing macular degeneration -than nonsmokers, and smoking increases the risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration by increasing inflammation levels in blood vessels beneath retina causing macular degeneration – than non-smokers. Furthermore, smoking increases low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels which increases inflammation which then leads to eye disease risk factors.

4. Exercise

Your eyes play an essential part in everyday life and it can be easy to take their health for granted. But it is vital that we prioritize their care, since ocular diseases such as macular degeneration can result in permanent vision loss. Incorporating exercise into your routine is one effective way of protecting and keeping healthy. Exercise reduces oxidative stress and inflammation levels in the body which slows progression of this eye condition.

Age related macular degeneration, commonly referred to as AMD, is an incurable but painless eye disease that gradually destroys central vision essential for driving and reading. This results from the breakdown of macula tissue at the back of your eye; symptoms include yellow deposits called drusen that do not directly result in vision loss in its early stages but could indicate increased risk for more advanced forms such as blurriness, dark areas or distortion of straight lines that result from advanced AMD.

In most cases, the disease progresses slowly and allows patients to maintain good vision; however, 10-15% of patients develop abnormal blood vessels under one retina that leak blood and fluid into the macula and cause severe and rapid vision loss.

Studies demonstrate that those who exercise regularly are less likely to develop age related macular degeneration. It is equally important, however, that they eat healthily and don’t smoke – smoking triples one’s risk and accelerates progression of AMD while eating plenty of green leafy vegetables and omega-3 rich fish can help prevent and treat the condition. According to The National Runners’ Health Study, running 2-4 km (1.2-2.5 miles) daily reduced their risk by 19% as opposed to those running less than 2 km per day!