• A gradual loss of ability to see objects clearly,
• Distorted vision,
• A gradual loss of color vision and
• Dark or empty areas appearing in the center of vision.

30% of people aged 75 and older develop macular degeneration.  As many as 11 million people in the United States have some form of age-related macular degeneration. This number is expected to double to nearly 22 million by 2050.

Macular degeneration is divided into two types: a dry and a wet form. 90% of people with macular degeneration have the dry form, which is less likely to lead to severe vision loss. Wet macular degeneration only accounts for 10% of people with macular degeneration, but it’s responsible for 90% of the legal blindness.

     Age: Age is the number one risk factor.

  Smoking: Smoking is the second strongest risk factor.  Smoking increases the risk of developing macular degeneration by 2-5 times by restricting the amount of oxygen reaching the retina and causing oxidative stress.

  Family History: The closer the relationship, the higher the risk.

       Gender: Females are more likely to develop macular degeneration.

    Diet: People with diets that are elevated in fat, cholesterol and high glycemic index foods, and low in antioxidants and green leafy vegetables may be more likely to develop AMD.

    Obesity: A person with a BMI (body mass index, a measure of body fat) of greater than 30 is 2.5 times more likely to develop the disease than a person with a lower BMI.

    High blood pressure: High blood pressure, like smoking, leads to a constriction (narrowing) of the blood vessels that nourish the retina, restricting oxygen flow.

   Sedentary Lifestyle: The more sedentary the lifestyle, the more likely the person is to become obese and develop high blood pressure.  Exercise helps facilitate oxygen flow to the retina.

     Sun Exposure: Ultraviolet light may damage the retina and increase the risk of AMD.

    Eye Color: People with light-colored eyes are more likely to develop the dry type of AMD. This factor may be because light-pigmented eyes offer less protection from damaging UV light.

It varies. The American Optometric Association reports that most people move through the process of diagnosis to legal blindness in about 10 years. It is also possible for early-stage dry age-related macular degeneration to suddenly change into the wet form. In the wet form, the vision can deteriorate rapidly – even in a matter of days – if a blood vessel bursts and bleeds. Your doctor will send you home with an Amsler grid to monitor for progression.

There is no known treatment for the dry form of macular degeneration, but specific combinations of vitamins have been shown to slow the progression of the disease from intermediate to advanced stages by 25%.  Fortunately, there are treatments for wet macular degeneration. The wet form may respond to laser procedures, as well as certain medications injected into the retina, if diagnosed and treated early.

  No smoking

   Exercise

   A healthy diet with low salt intake

 Eating plenty of green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, cabbage, kale, turnip greens, etc.

 Eating brightly colored vegetables, such as beets, carrots, etc.

   Take supplements with lutein and zeaxanthin

  Wearing sunglasses when outside