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June 15, 2004 |
| Vision Health
Age-Related Macular Degeneration Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States, with more than 1.6 million Americans over age 60 having the advanced stage of this incurable disease. AMD affects the macula, the part of the retina that is responsible for central vision and allows you to see fine details. A person suffering from AMD typically loses central vision, but maintains peripheral vision. For example, they would know that there was a clock on the wall, but they would not be able to tell the time. In this way, AMD has a significant impact on vision, but usually doesn’t cause total blindness. There are two types of AMD: dry and wet. Ninety percent of people with AMD have the dry form, which is caused by the natural aging and thinning of the tissues of the macula. The dry form develops slowly, and results in a mild loss of vision. Ten percent of people with AMD have the wet type; however, this form is responsible for 90 percent of blindness due to the disease. In the wet form, abnormal blood vessels develop beneath the retina. These new blood vessels leak fluid and blood, which often creates scar tissue and causes a large blind spot to form in the center of your vision. Additionally, studies have shown that women over age 75 are twice as likely as men in the same age range to have early AMD. More than likely, this is due to a lack of or diminished production of estrogen. While there is no cure for AMD at this time, nutritional therapies have been shown to be very promising.
Read More on Vision: Getting Started Age-Related Macular Degeneration Nutritional Therapies Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Age-related Macular Degeneration Antioxidants for AMD and Cataracts Complementary Therapies Red Light Therapy for Macular Degeneration Ozone Therapy for Macular Degeneration
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