Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration is a condition is which the eye's macula (which controls all your central vision) breaks down, causing a gradual or sudden loss of central vision. It is usually age-related, affecting people over 65, so the terms are often used interchangeably, Age Related Macular Degeneration, abbreviated to ARMD. However, certain drugs can cause macular degeneration, and some cases are inherited.
Macular Degeneration is a growing problem and some of the reasons for this are more ultraviolet light in our environment due to a thinning ozone layer, people living longer, environmental pollutants, smoking, poor diet, obesity, etc.
Doctors are not sure how to prevent macular degeneration, but research suggests that certain things contribute to putting you at a higher risk for it. Those are if you're over 65, a smoker, white or have a family member with macular degeneration.
Some things you can do to lessen your risks are to wear sunglasses at all times when outside, sunglasses work the same to your eyes as sunscreen does to your skin, and most people don't think about that! A good multi-vitamin, antioxidants, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and essential fatty acids all can aid in preventing macular degeneration.
In our office today we got a new machine that measures the amount of pigment you have in your macula and can tell us if you are at low, moderate or high risk for macular degeneration. This machine is the first of its kind and research is showing that if caught early and the supplements initiated the pigment can be increased in your macular area. If you are at low or moderate risk their is a supplement that contains the proper amount of lutein and zeaxantine the primary supplements needed to keep your macular area healthy. Ask your eye doctor at your next visit about this machine and the supplements he or she recommends