AGE RELATED
MACULAR DEGENERATION
(AMD)
1/3 of adults over the age of 75 have age related Macular Degeneration
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Dry macular degeneration
is one of 2 types of age-related macular degeneration.
The other type,wet macular degeneration, is characterized by blood vessels
that grow under the retina in the back of the eye, leaking blood and fluid.
Dry macular degeneration is the more common form of the disease|
& is the subject of this page.
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RISK FACTORS FOR DRY MACULAR DEGENERATION
- Age - Risk increases after age 50 & is most common in people older than 65
- Family history - It's more likely to develop the condition if someone in your family had AMD
- Race - AMD is more common in Caucasians than it is in other races
- Smoking - Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of AMD
- Obesity - Being severely overweight increases the chance that early or intermediate AMD
will progress to the more severe form of the disease - Unhealthy diet - A poor diet that includes few fruits and vegetables may increase the risk
of AMD - Cardiovascular disease - If you have had diseases that affected your heart & blood
vessels, you may be at higher risk of AMD - Elevated cholesterol - Elevated cholesterol may be associated with a higher risk of AMD
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SYMPTOMS
Dry macular degeneration symptoms usually develop gradually.
You may notice these vision changes
- The need for brighter light when reading or doing close work
- Increasing difficulty adapting to low light levels, such as when entering a dimly lit restaurant
- Increasing blurriness of printed words
- A decrease in the intensity or brightness of colors
- Difficulty recognizing faces
- A gradual increase in the haziness of your central or overall vision
- Crooked central vision
- A blurred or blind spot in the center of your field of vision
- Hallucinations of geometric shapes or people, in case of advanced macular degeneration
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- Dry macular degeneration may affect one or both eyes.
- If only one eye is affected,you may not notice any changes in your vision because your
good eye may compensate for the weak eye.
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SEE YOUR DOCTOR
- You notice changes in your central vision
- Your ability to see colors & fine detail becomes impaired
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HEALTHY FOODS FOR HEALTHY EYES
Foods with Lutein & Zeaxanthin
- Broccoli
- Egg yolks
- Green bell peppers
- Kale
- Mangoes
- Orange bell peppers
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Red grapes
- Spinach
- Squash
- Yellow corn
Food with Vitamin C
- Broccoli
- Cantaloupe
- Grapefruit
- Green peppers
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Yams
Food with Vitamin E
- Eggs
- Fortified Cereals
- Nut Oils
- Nuts
- Wheat germ
Foods with Omega 3
- Flaxseed oil
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Walnuts
- Wild salmon
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Along with a nutritious diet, exercise is recommended
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Dry Eyes | Eye Doctors Can Find Other Health Issues
Health Challenges | Take Good Care Of Your Eyes
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