Along with aging comes a host of age-related foes to fight. One to keep in mind while you’re still young is age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – the loss of central vision. AMD affects the macula, the pencil eraser-size part of the retina where precise vision forms. There are so-called dry and wet forms of AMD. Both forms can lead to varying degrees of central vision loss.
Novelist Stephen King, best known for horror stories, is one of 10 million Americans with age-related macular degeneration. He quipped of his 10+-year battle with AMD: “The part of my vision that I want to keep, both as a man and as a writer, is what I can see out of the corners of my eyes!”
All kidding aside, he’s referring to the loss of central vision caused by age-related macular degeneration. Although few people with AMD ever become totally blind, losing central vision can make basic, independent activities, like reading and driving, much harder. So it’s a good idea to start preventative care at a young age.
Eye care professionals agree: the single most important thing you can do to detect and help slow AMD is get your annual eye exam. It’s the only way to spot early warning signs. But beyond that, there are choices you can make to help prevent or slow its onset and progression.
Larry Spitzberg, OD, PhD, practices in Houston, Texas and tells us nutrients can play a helpful part in protecting vision. “A study sponsored by the National Eye Institute shows an important role for Vitamins C and E, vitamin A from beta carotene, lutein and zinc.” And, choose food over supplements as the preferred source for them.
Here’s a rundown of eye-friendly foods:
- Beta-carotene (turned into vitamin A in your body): Dark green, yellow and orange veggies.
- Lutein: Dark green leafy veggies, like spinach, kale and collard greens.
- Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, black currants.
- Vitamin E: Nuts, oil-rich fish like tuna and salmon.
- Zinc: Beef, pork, lamb, eggs, whole cereals.
Check out VSP’s recipe archive.
The sun damages the eyes just as it does the skin, and this damage can lead to age-related macular degeneration. Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses is a smart way to prevent AMD.
For people fighting the condition now, there are treatment options for the wet form, which is to blame for more severe vision loss. The options range from medications to laser treatments, says Joseph Rappon, OD. He also looks forward a few years when artificial retinas may be the routine course of treatment. “We’ll be able to implant a tiny microchip in the retina, and this device will help send visual information to the optic nerve and the brain,” he says. “That will be a big breakthrough and have a major impact on AMD patients.”