| All of us have one thing in common. As time | | | | and many people don't know what it is until |
| passes, we age. Aging does have some benefits. | | | | they've been diagnosed with it. Be sure to have |
| For example, as the years march on we gain | | | | your eyes checked annually, and ask your doctor |
| more experience and become a little more savvy | | | | to test you for macular degeneration. In order to |
| and wise. | | | | determine whether you have macular |
| But aging also comes with a laundry list of effects | | | | degeneration, your doctor will ask you to look at |
| that range from being merely inconvenient to | | | | a tool called an "Amsler chart." This chart is |
| being life-altering. Maybe your memory is not as | | | | essentially a grid with a black dot in the middle. If, |
| sharp as it used to be, so you are experiencing | | | | after focusing on the dot in the middle of the |
| those dreaded "senior moments." Maybe you can't | | | | graph, you see shaky, uneven, or undulating lines, |
| hear as well as you used to, or have aches and | | | | you are most likely experiencing the early stages |
| pains. | | | | of macular degeneration. A dark spot or blob in |
| One of the areas that begins to deteriorate as | | | | the center of the graph may also indicate macular |
| we grow older is our eyes. If you are over the | | | | degeneration. Your ophthalmologist will |
| age of 40, you've probably experienced some | | | | characterize your macular degeneration as either |
| vision problem or another, whether it's | | | | "wet" or "dry." "Dry" macular degeneration is the |
| near-sightedness, far-sightedness, "tired" eyes, | | | | less serious of the two types, and accounts for |
| watery eyes, or dry eyes. Many of these | | | | about 90 percent of all cases of macular |
| problems can be controlled with lenses or | | | | degeneration. Unfortunately, there is no surgery, |
| medication. | | | | drug, drop, or lens that can treat "dry" macular |
| While the kinds of eye issues above are annoying | | | | degeneration. Severe "wet" macular degeneration |
| and sometimes inconvenient, what concerns us | | | | can be treated with last-ditch efforts designed to |
| more are those vision problems that are linked to | | | | preserve sight for an additional amount of time, |
| blindness. For many of us, the idea of going blind is | | | | but these treatments carry significant risk and |
| one of the most fearful things about aging. Not | | | | offer no long-term solution. |
| only does blindness mean we can't see our loved | | | | Step #2: Take Stock of Prescription Drugs |
| ones, read a book, or watch television, it also | | | | Some experts believe that aspirin, Ibuprofen, and |
| diminishes our independence. People who are blind | | | | other NSAIDs can cause retinal hemorrhages in |
| can't drive, do everyday chores around the home, | | | | the blood vessels, which can then develop into |
| and have difficulty doing self-care tasks such as | | | | macular Degeneration. People with high blood |
| getting dressed, grooming themselves, or making | | | | pressure are particularly at risk for developing |
| a meal. No wonder why the thought of going blind | | | | retinal blood vessel issues as a result of taking |
| is so terrifying. | | | | NSAIDs. Other drugs that have a negative effect |
| One leading cause of vision loss and blindness is | | | | on the retina and may contribute to macular |
| Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). In this | | | | degeneration include Plaquenil and Cortisone. Talk |
| condition, the retina becomes blocked by debris, | | | | to your doctor about replacement drugs if you |
| which affects your central vision. Central vision is | | | | take any of the above drugs. |
| your "straight ahead" vision, the kind of vision you | | | | Step #3: Protect Your Eyes from the Sun |
| need to read, drive, or do any kind of activity in | | | | UV-A and UV-B rays, as well as Blue Light, cause |
| which you need to focus in front of you. Macular | | | | oxidization in the retina, which contributes to |
| degeneration does not affect your peripheral | | | | macular degeneration. Investing in a high-quality |
| vision. People who suffer from macular | | | | pair of sunglasses that filters out these dangerous |
| degeneration see black spots and wavy lines that | | | | rays, and wearing a hat with a brim, will protect |
| obliterate or distort the objects in front of them. | | | | your eyes. |
| Age-related macular degeneration can deplete | | | | Step #4: Add Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements |
| vision up to 60 percent, and is one of the more | | | | to Your Daily Diet. |
| prevalent causes of age-related blindness. While | | | | There are a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, |
| we don't know exactly what causes macular | | | | and supplements known to contribute to eye |
| degeneration, we do know that poor blood supply | | | | health, including vitamins A, C, D, and E, omega 3 |
| to the eye, oxidization of the retina, and leaky | | | | fatty acids, beta-carotene, magnesium, garlic, |
| capillaries can all contribute to this condition. | | | | zeaxanthin and lutein, selenium, taurine, N-acetyl |
| Unfortunately, age-related macular degeneration | | | | cysteine, zinc, hydrochloric acid, coenzyme Q-10, |
| can't be simply treated with eye drops or lenses. | | | | boron, chromium, copper, and manganese. The |
| Because doctors aren't sure what causes macular | | | | best place to find eye-healthy vitamins and |
| degeneration, there is no medically accepted cure. | | | | minerals? In your food. But to be sure you're |
| As a matter of fact, if you've already been | | | | getting enough of what you need, take a |
| diagnosed with macular degeneration, chances are | | | | multi-vitamin that includes the majority of the |
| your doctor has told you there's nothing you can | | | | above vitamins and minerals, and supplement with |
| do, aside from learn to accept the idea that | | | | anything it doesn't include. |
| blindness is in your future. | | | | Step #5: Up Your Antioxidants and Amino Acids |
| However, you don't have to accept the fact that | | | | Because one of the causes of macular |
| you are going to go slowly but surely blind as a | | | | degeneration is oxidization of the retina, it makes |
| result of age-related macular degeneration. While | | | | sense that adding anti-oxidants to your diet can |
| there are no pills that you can take to slow or | | | | help fight off macular degeneration. Lack of |
| stop macular degeneration, while eye drops and | | | | antioxidants in the diet can allow free radicals to |
| special lenses won't save your vision, there are | | | | multiply, causing more blocked capillaries in the |
| things you can do to stop, slow down, and even | | | | retina. Be sure your diet contains plenty of |
| reverse age-related macular degeneration. What's | | | | vitamins C and E, quercetin, bilberry, selenium, |
| more, as additional research is being done, more | | | | bioflavonoids, beta-carotene, and ginko biloba. |
| and more progressive eye specialists agree that | | | | Plenty of amino acids in the form of N-Acetyl |
| there are steps you can take to maintain or | | | | cysteine, L-glutathione, L-glutamine, and L-cysteine |
| restore your vision in a safe, natural way. | | | | are also integral for eye health. |
| Do you want to halt, delay, or even reverse | | | | Step #6: Watch Your Fat and Cholesterol Intake |
| macular degeneration? The answer lies making | | | | According to a study done by the University of |
| new lifestyle choices. Stopping, slowing, and | | | | Wisconsin Medical School, diets rich in saturated |
| reversing your macular degeneration is as easy if | | | | fat and cholesterol increase macular degeneration |
| you follow the 12 easy steps below. These steps | | | | by 80 percent. Stick to mono-unsaturated fats |
| are safe and natural, and you have absolutely | | | | like olive oil, and eat healthfully by incorporating |
| nothing to lose by trying them. Best of all, these | | | | natural carbohydrates such as beans, grains, fruits, |
| healthy lifestyle choices will not only have a | | | | and vegetables. Eating plenty of soy protein and |
| positive impact on your eyes, they will have a | | | | fish, as well as having one alcoholic drink per day |
| positive impact on your overall health in general. | | | | if it fits into your lifestyle, can boost your good |
| Step #1: See Your Eye Doctor | | | | cholesterol levels. |
| Macular degeneration isn't commonly talked about, | | | | |