Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is an eye disease that comes with aging. The center of your eye - the macular - slowly deteriorates, which blurs vision and causes blind spots. There are treatments for macular degeneration - but it's also possible to help prevent it with good sunglasses.
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- Q What is wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?
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Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) develops when tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye grow uncontrollably and leak fluid and scar the macula. This may cause loss of central vision within days or weeks, months or years. In fact, although only... Full Answer
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- Q How can age-related macular degeneration (AMD) be detected?
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Dr. Jeffrey Heier, OphthalmologyA routine eye examination can often detect signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) -- a serious disease that can steal a person's central vision -- before sight is affected and before permanent visual loss occurs. The eye exam includes an acuity... Full Answer
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- Q What is PreserVision for macular degeneration?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff, Internal MedicineMacular degeneration is an eye disorder that makes it difficult to see straight ahead or fine details. In 2001, a report from the Aging-Related Eye Disease Study, a large trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, showed that a combination of... Full Answer
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- Q How can I help keep age-related macular degeneration from getting worse?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineIf you have early age-related macular degeneration (AMD), doctors recommend frequently grazing at the salad bar to protect your sight. AMD is a leading cause of blindness but good nutrition can help hold it off. Make a beeline for the carrots, spinach... Full Answer
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- Q How can my diet help slow age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?
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Emerging research suggests that getting eye-supporting nutrients in combination -- in the context of a low-glycemic-index diet -- may have a profound effect on slowing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). So do your eyes a favor: Don't focus... Full Answer
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- Q What is an Amsler grid?
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An Amsler grid is a visual tool that is helpful for diagnosing and tracking the vision changes cause by macular degeneration. It is a square grid with hundreds of equal-sized squares inside it. At the center is a black dot. The way a vision test with an... Full Answer
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- Q Can a low GI diet reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration?
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A recent study suggests that a low-glycemic-index (GI) diet may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by almost 8%. One way to quickly lower the GI of a meal? Use high-fiber whole grains instead of refined carbs. Think quinoa,... Full Answer
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- Q How rapidly does dry macular degeneration progress?
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Dr. David Demartini, OphthalmologyGenerally, dry macular degeneration progresses very slowly. No one disease is the same as the next person's. Hence it is impossible to tell each individual how rapidly their macular degeneration will progress. Recently there have been studies that... Full Answer
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- Q Does macular degeneration mean blindness?
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Dr. David Demartini, OphthalmologyMacular degeneration does not usually blind patients (no vision whatsoever). It can lead to less than 20/200 in each eye which is the current definition for legal blindness in the United States. Most patients have "dry" (not bleeding) macular... Full Answer
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- Q Who is at risk for vision loss from macular degeneration?
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Macular degeneration is an age-related vision problem and the leading cause of blindness in adults over age 60. Today, findings show that macular degeneration affects about 12 million people in the United States. This is about one in four older... Full Answer
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