| Macular degeneration is a disease that many older | | | | of the disease usually results in serious loss of |
| Americans have to deal with on a daily basis. | | | | vision. There are really no reliable treatment |
| While there is no macular degeneration cure, it can | | | | options for the early, dry form but it can be |
| be managed and treated quite successfully. People | | | | controlled by eating the right foods and taking |
| suffering with the disease have certain treatment | | | | nutritional supplements. Nutrients such as zinc, |
| options that will help improve their vision and may | | | | zeaxanthin and vitamins A, C and E seem to be |
| at least delay the progression of the disease. | | | | effective in slowing down the disease. |
| There are certain risk factors involved when | | | | Once the disease has progressed to the wet |
| looking at macular degeneration. It is generally | | | | stage, there are certain medications and medical |
| associated with environmental conditions and | | | | treatments that can be prescribed. They include |
| genetic factors. It is definitely age-related and | | | | drugs such as Lucentis, Macugen and Visudyne |
| most often occurs in people over the age of 50. | | | | which are often accompanied by other therapies |
| Caucasians are more like to develop the disease | | | | as well. The more invasive laser treatment is |
| than other races. Women experience it more | | | | often recommended when the disease has |
| often than men and smokers of either gender | | | | progressed past the dry stage. Laser light is used |
| are more susceptible to the disease. Genetics play | | | | to seal blood vessels in the eye which then |
| a role also because the disease tends to run in | | | | prevents any leakage from occurring. Scarring |
| families. | | | | sometimes occurs during the laser process and |
| As with any medical condition, it is important to | | | | can cause additional vision problems for the |
| diagnose macular degeneration in its early stages. | | | | patient. While there is no macular degeneration |
| Early onset of this disease is usually the dry form | | | | cure, it can be controlled and managed with the |
| but if left untreated can progress into the more | | | | right treatment plan. |
| advanced and serious wet form. The wet form | | | | |