AMD tends to affect a portion of eye - Food Fitness Life Love

Macular degeneration occurring due to age is the main cause of blindness, mainly in older people. This is a major cause of concern in the United Kingdom. There are several ways in which one can effectively combat this disease. However, this may require a good understanding of age-related macular degeneration and the problems caused by this disorder. What is age-related macular degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration or AMD can be referred to as a disease that?s directly related to the ageing process. This results in slow deterioration of sharp and central vision. Central vision is requisite for viewing objects clearly and also in order to carry out day to day tasks.

AMD tends to affect a portion of eye responsible for allowing a person to view fine detail. This part of the eye is known as macula. This disease does not result in any sort of pain. This disease can affect human eye in two different ways.

a) The first:

AMD progresses slowly and patients observe little change in their vision.

b) The second:

The disease advances at a faster pace and may result in a loss of vision in both eyes.

It is unfortunate but true that AMD is a major cause of loss in vision in most of the people in INDIA of 60 years of age and above.

Symptoms

AMD starts with typical yellow deposits in the macula just amidst the retinal pigment epithelium and the choroids that?s situated beneath.

As mentioned earlier, there are two varied types of AMD namely; Dry and Wet. Both are advanced forms of AMD. The wet AMD results in vision loss due to abnormal growth of blood vessels situated in the choriocapillaries. The dry form of advanced AMD is caused due to atrophy to the retinal pigment epithetical layer beneath retina that ultimately results in vision loss via photoreceptors loss in the middle region of the eye.

Symptoms for dry AMD

Details are seen less clearly. The blurred vision tends to disappear in bright light.

Symptoms for wet AMD

This is a condition where straight lines tend to appear crooked. One may also see appearance of blind spot in this condition that results from the loss of central vision.

Causes of AMD

The exact causes for AMD has not been confirmed by any study or research. However, there are a lot of risk factors resulting in this serious health condition:

a) Age:

Since AMD is an out and out age related condition, growing old can make the condition more likely to strike.

b) Gender:

Women are reported to develop this condition more likely than men.

c) Genetics:

Genetics are also highly responsible in an individual affecting from age related macular degeneration.

d) Smoking:

Smoking has reported a large number of cases resulting in AMD. It ahs also been proved that abstaining from smoking can effective reduce AMD risk to a great extent.

e) Sunlight:
Some studies have indicated that lifetime sunlight exposure have a great effect on retina; thereby resulting in retina in older age. Hence, it is necessary to wear sunglasses in order to protect the eyes.

f) Nutrition:

There are some research that indicates inclusion of vitamins, minerals, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can provide significant protection against AMD.

g) Obesity:

According to some researches, there is a strong link between obesity and AMD.

h) Race:

Whites are more prone to contract this disease as compared to African Americans.

It is unfortunate that a health condition like AMD can snatch away the light of vision from our lives as we progress towards old age. However, the good news is that there are some steps that when followed can easily prevent this disease from occurring.

Here are ten steps to help prevent AMD:

a) ?Step one ? Abstain from smoking:
This is the best and most crucial method to prevent AMD. The best thing to do is to not to smoke at all. A study has estimated that around 53,900 people in great Britain over the age of 69 and all have contracted this disease due to smoking. Unfortunately, 17,900 out of this number have been officially declared blind.

b) ?Step two ? Eat greens:

Eating a lot of dark green leafy vegetables would help a lot in preventing AMD. These vegetables are rich in carotenoid and this substance helps in decreasing the risk of contracting AMD. Depend on vegetables such as Kale, raw spinach and collard greens.

c) Step three ? Take multivitamins or multiminerals:

General eye health can be maintained via taking vitamins and minerals in the form of nutritional supplements. This practice has also known to thwart the progression of AMD.

d) ?Step four ? Nutritional formula:

The risk of AMD can be minimized via intake of higher antioxidant vitamins and zinc. This fact is supported by a study conducted by the National Institute of Health / National Eye Institute (NEI). The AREDS or Age-Related Eye Disease Study has proved that people can lower the risk of developing AMD via the treatment with a high-dose of vitamin E, vitamin C, Beta-Carotene and Zinc.

e) Step five ? Eat more fish:

Eating a lot of fish benefits in preventing AMD.
f) Step six ? Workout and maintain a health weight:
Regular exercise is key to minimize the risk of developing AMD. Since obesity is one of the risk factors that promotes AMD, maintaining healthy weight would help a great deal in preventing AMD.

g) Step seven ? Eat fruit and nuts:

AMD can be effectively prevented via including fruits and nuts into your daily diet. This fact have been supported by a study conducted at Haward Medical School in 2004.

h) Step eight ? Minimize Carbs:

There is a possibility of increasing AMD risk in having a Diet high in carbs. This was supported by a study published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.

i) Step nine ? Keep cholesterol and blood pressure in control:

There are some evidences that indicates protection of AMD via controlling cholesterol level and blood pressure in the body.

j) Step ten ? Regular eye check up:

Regular eye exam are highly recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. This needs to be conducted in every two to three years.

AMD is a serious health condition. However, one can easily prevent it via following all the steps mentioned above.

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Source: http://www.foodfitnesslifelove.com/health-fitness/amd-tends-to-affect-a-portion-of-eye-eye-condition-and-disorders/

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