Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of blindness and low vision in people beyond 60 years of age. February is the National AMD and Low Vision Awareness Month. Age-related macular degeneration has no cure but, there are ways to reduce the risks with the right information. The World Health Organization reveals that 8.7% of global blindness is caused due to AMD and 14 million people worldwide are reported to be either partially or completely blind. WHO predicts that how AMD patients would increase to 17.8 million in 2050.
With AMD one loses their central vision. They miss the fine details when they are looking at something far or close.
Macular degeneration is a problem of the retina. It happens when central part of the retina (macula) is damaged and detailed vision leads to dark patches, shadows or distortion of the central vision. The risk of developing macular degeneration increases with the age.
• Dry AMD
It is a common form and 80% of the people who apparently have AMD have this dry form. This is form due to age when macula gets thinner and tiny clumps of protein known as drusen grow and the person starts losing their central vision.
• Wet AMD:
Wet form is unusual but more serious though. In this form, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and these vessels might leak blood or other fluids and cause scarring of the macula. And with this wet AMD, people start losing their vision more quickly when compared with dry AMD.
Also, most people don't realize they have AMD until their vision gets blurry. This is why it is important to have regular eye check-ups done when a person starts aging beyond 50.
Who is at more risk of having AMD?- Who are above 50 years of age
- Smoking
- Having highly saturated fat foods/
- Obesity
- Having Hypertension
At present, there is no cure for AMD, and inculcating a healthy lifestyle could reduce the risk. Eating plenty of leafy green vegetables like spinach and other fresh fruits could help a great deal. Adding fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids is also very good for eye health. Apart from that wearing sunglasses and a hat in bright sunlight will also protect your eyes from harmful ultra-violet light.
But, if a person is already affected by AMD and has low vision they can try SMART VISION Glasses for further assistance. It can help visually impaired to transform their dark world into a more interactive and interesting world.