How to Prevent Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a common age-related eye condition that can reduce your central vision. If you have macular degeneration, you may have difficulty focusing on an object and might even lose your vision. Of the two types of macular degeneration, 80 to 90% of people have dry macular degeneration, which causes small white and yellow deposits on the eye that can be associated with damaging vision over time. Wet macular degeneration, in which abnormal blood vessels in the eye cause bleeding and leak fluid, is rarer. This can quickly cause severe loss of vision. Prevention methods for both types are the same, the main differences being in surgical treatment.

Part 1 - Preventing Macular Degeneration Through Lifestyle Changes

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→ Get an eye exam immediately. If you notice any kind of vision problems, have your eyes routinely checked. At the exam, you can discuss how to prevent macular degeneration by reducing or eliminating controllable risk factors. This can help detect and delay any vision loss you might have. 11% of people between the ages of 65 and 74 have macular degeneration, while 27.9% of those over 75 have the condition. The following factors can increase your risk for macular degeneration:

→ Obesity

→ Non-Hispanic white ethnicity

→ Cigarette smoking

→ Chlamydia pneumoniae infections

→ Family history of macular degeneration

→ Light iris colors in the eye (i.e. blue or light green)

→ Cardiovascular disease

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→ Quit smoking. When you smoke a cigarette, you are exposing your retinas to the toxins found in tobacco. Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of macular degeneration by two to five times. The blood vessels in your eyes are among the smallest and finest in your body. As a result, the toxins from cigarettes can deposit on and damage these vessels more easily.

→ Smoking can also destroy lutein which is important for the health and protection of your retinas.

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→ Protect your eyes from the sun. Overexposure to UV rays are thought to be a factor contributing to macular degeneration. UV rays emit high amounts of radiation on cloudy and sunny days. It's important to always protect your eyes when you're outside. Wear sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB rays. You can also wear a hat to shade your eyes, for extra protection.

→ Choosing polarized glasses can help filter out even more harmful rays. You can also find sunglasses that have side panels and a top panel to block out even more rays.

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→ Eat a healthy diet to prevent obesity. Being obese is a top risk factor for developing macular degeneration. While the exact link isn't understood, it is recommended that you maintain a healthy weight by watching your blood pressure and cholesterol. Eat small portions at your meals and try to eat lean foods and proteins like fruits, vegetables, turkey, and whole wheat products. You should also limit foods that are high in calories and saturated fats. Limit or avoid:

→ Animal fats

→ Vegetable

→ Nuts and seeds, peanut butter

→ Salad dressings

→ Junk foods

→ Dark chocolates

→ Cheese

→ Fast foods and processed meats

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→ Eat foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of most powerful nutrients when it comes to improving eye strength. It's also considered an antioxidant, which means it helps fight damage to the eye due to oxidation stress. You can take 500 mg of a vitamin C supplement every day or try to eat at least half a cup of vitamin-C-rich foods. Foods containing the most vitamin C include:

→ Grapefruit

→ Strawberries

→ Papaya

→ Brussels sprouts

→ Oranges

→ Green peppers

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→ Get plenty of vitamin B-rich foods. Vitamin B can improve eye health, especially when combined with folic acid supplements. This combination is known to reduce your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. You can take vitamin B supplements, or you eat the following:

→ Fish

→ Bread

→ Oatmeal

→ Eggs

→ Milk

→ Cheese

→ Rice

→ Peas (for folic acid)

→ Asparagus (for folic acid)

→ Brown rice (for folic acid)

→ Cereals fortified with folic acid

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→ Include vitamins A and E in your diet. These work with vitamin C to protect and strengthen your eyes. To get vitamin A, you can take a 15 mg beta carotene supplement or up to 25,000 IU of Vitamin A. To supplement vitamin E, take a 400 IU supplement. You can also get these vitamins through a nutritious diet. Good food sources include:

→ Vitamin A: sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, butternut squash, romaine lettuce, dried apricots, sweet red peppers, tuna fish, and mangos.

→ Vitamin E: sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, Swiss chard, avocado, asparagus, mustard greens, and shrimp.

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→ Up your intake of zinc and other minerals. Studies have shown that zinc is crucial for good eye health and functioning. Your eyes contain high levels of zinc because zinc can boost the enzymes in your eyes. You can find zinc in different foods, or take a zinc supplement. If supplementing, take 80 mg of zinc oxide and 2 mg of copper (cupric oxide) every day. You can also get zinc from these foods:

→ Seafood like clams, oysters, crab and lobsters

→ Beef

→ Pork

→ Yogurt

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→ Eat foods containing lutein and zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants strengthen the lens and retina in your eye by absorbing damaging light that can cause macular degeneration. The two foods with the highest lutein and zeaxanthin levels are spinach and kale, also known as super foods. Try eating 10 ounces of spinach and kale per week to help combat macular degeneration.

→ If you already eat a varied, nutritious diet, supplementing isn't necessary. But, if you find it difficult to eat enough dark leafy greens, taking lutein and zeaxanthin supplements can improve eye health.

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→ Add omega-3 to your diet. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that prevents eye inflammation and maintains cell condition. When you don’t get enough omega-3, your eyes weaken, which may lead to visual impairment. While you can take omega-3 supplements, it's recommended that you get the fatty acid from foods. Foods that contain omega-3 include:

→ Salmon, tuna, mackerel, anchovies, scallops, snapper, trout, and halibut

Part 2 - Preventing Macular Degeneration Through Eye Exercises

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→ Increase the number of times you blink each minute. It's easy to forget to blink when you're focused on something in front of you, like your favorite television show or a project on the computer. Remind yourself to blink frequently. This will help your eyes focus better and relieve any strain you may have put on them.

→ Try to blink every three or four seconds for two minutes straight. Or, practice the 20-20-20 method. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen to any object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It may help to set a reminder alarm.

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→ Cover your eyes with the palms of your hands. Sometimes, your eyes just need a rest. Place your palms over your eyes with you fingers extending over your forehead and the heel of your palms resting on your cheek bones. Make yourself comfortable and avoid putting too much pressure on your eyes.

→ Palming for even a few minutes can relieve eye strain and help you blink freely since you won't be focused on something in front of you. Eye strain can also lead to additional problems, such as tension and headaches. Listen to your body, and give your eyes a rest when they tell you that they are tired.

3

→ Trace a figure eight using your eyes. Imagine that you're looking at a large figure eight. Trace it with your eyes to strengthen your eye muscles, improve flexibility, and take a break from focusing on something. Repeat this exercise at least five times. You can also imagine turning the figure eight on its side. Slowly trace it for several minutes.

→ Your eyes are controlled by muscles just like every other part of your body that moves. Make sure to stretch them out and use them effectively and efficiently, while giving them recovery time when they are overused, strained, or tired.

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→ Practice focusing. Start by sitting somewhere comfortable. Hold your thumb in front of you so that it's about 10 inches (25.4 cm) away from your eyes. Focus on it for five minutes, then move your eyes so that they are focused on something 20 feet (6.1 m) away. Do this for five seconds and repeat this process.

→ Focusing on things that are different distances from you can strengthen your vision and improve your eyesight.

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→ Try "zooming." Hold your thumb up with your arm extended as far as it can reach in front of you. Focus on your thumb for several seconds and then slowly but steadily bring it towards your face until it three inches away from your eyes. Keep your eyes focused on your thumb throughout the entire movement. Then, extend your arm again, still keeping your eyes focused on the thumb.

→ Zooming is a good way to give your eyes a break while stretching your eye muscles.

Part 3 - Managing Macular Degeneration

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→ Take a high-dose vitamin formula. If you have intermediate to severe dry age-related macular degeneration, talk with your doctor about preventing further eye damage by taking an Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) formula. This formula is made up of 500 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU of Vitamin E, 15 mg of beta carotene, 80mg of zinc and 2 mg of copper, all of which are geared towards strengthening your sight. It has not been shown to be beneficial to those with mild dry macular degeneration.

→ Don't forget to ask your doctor about any concerns you may have about managing your eyes and let your doctor know if you're a smoker. Smoking is a risk factor for macular degeneration and a number of other diseases such as lung cancer.

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→ Get injection treatments. If you have wet macular degeneration, in which abnormal blood vessels grow in your eye, leaking fluid and blood, your doctor may prescribe bevacizumab, ranibizumab, pegaptanib or aflibercept. These medications stop abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage in your eye that cause macular degeneration. If prescribed, your doctor will inject the medication directly into your eyes.

→ In a study, up to 40% of individuals improved by at least three lines of vision in testing, while about 95% of individuals saw their vision maintained.

TIPS

→ To prevent obesity, a top risk factor for developing macular degeneration, be sure to exercise regularly. Try to exercise for 30 minutes at least several days a week.