It is just a fact of life that as people age body parts begin to wear out. Seniors have knees and hips replaced, install hearing aids, and wear prescription glasses to read and drive. Some are unfortunate enough to have vision problems glasses can't completely resolve. One of them is the age related macular degeneration Washington DC seniors, along with others, suffer from. Also known as ARMD, this is a condition that affects an area of the retina that regulates sharpness of vision. When it goes, the ability to read, drive, watch television, and work on a computer usually go with it.
There are two types of ARMD, the dry and the wet. The dry form of the disease affects about ninety percent of sufferers. This is the disease in its early stage. Wet ARMD is much more serious and can lead to virtual blindness. With dry ARMD the loss of eyesight is normally gradual. In some cases it will degenerate over time into geographic atrophy. When that happens the loss of eyesight is severe. Signs that there is a problem include shadowy areas, distortions, and fuzziness in the individual's line of sight.
The thought of losing your vision is scary. People are concerned about the causes and what can be done to avoid it. Age is the most common cause, but that are other factors that put individuals at risk as well. These factors include being Caucasian, a woman, a smoker, and overweight. It is believed that the disease has a genetic component.
One of the highest risk factors is smoking. There is evidence that individuals who smoke comprise nearly a quarter of those with the most severe form of this disease. Just living with someone who smokes is a risk factor. You are twice as likely to fall victim to this disease if you live with a smoker.
Two other factors, and ones you can't do anything about, are heredity and eye color. Twins often share this disease. The lighter the color of your eyes, the more likely you are to develop ARMD. People with darker eye coloring have extra pigment that some researchers believe helps protect them from sun exposure. So far the evidence is inconclusive on this theory.
ARMD can develop as the result of taking certain drugs. One on the list is an anti-malarial drug. Another is the anti-psychotic drug, thorazine. Physicians sometimes prescribe thorazine for excessive hiccuping, vomiting, and nausea as well. There is not unanimous agreement about the risk factors, with the exception of aging and smoking.
ARMD has no cure. The most medical professionals can do is attempt to slow the progress of ARMD and try to prevent the dry form from turning into the wet form. It is believed that diet plays a factor in preventing the disease.
Nutritional scientists are studying the efficacy of diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These include salmon and various other cold water fish. Until there is a cure, the best thing for seniors to do is exercise on a regular basis, eat a diet high in omega-3s, and avoid all forms of tobacco. This includes second hand smoke.
There are two types of ARMD, the dry and the wet. The dry form of the disease affects about ninety percent of sufferers. This is the disease in its early stage. Wet ARMD is much more serious and can lead to virtual blindness. With dry ARMD the loss of eyesight is normally gradual. In some cases it will degenerate over time into geographic atrophy. When that happens the loss of eyesight is severe. Signs that there is a problem include shadowy areas, distortions, and fuzziness in the individual's line of sight.
The thought of losing your vision is scary. People are concerned about the causes and what can be done to avoid it. Age is the most common cause, but that are other factors that put individuals at risk as well. These factors include being Caucasian, a woman, a smoker, and overweight. It is believed that the disease has a genetic component.
One of the highest risk factors is smoking. There is evidence that individuals who smoke comprise nearly a quarter of those with the most severe form of this disease. Just living with someone who smokes is a risk factor. You are twice as likely to fall victim to this disease if you live with a smoker.
Two other factors, and ones you can't do anything about, are heredity and eye color. Twins often share this disease. The lighter the color of your eyes, the more likely you are to develop ARMD. People with darker eye coloring have extra pigment that some researchers believe helps protect them from sun exposure. So far the evidence is inconclusive on this theory.
ARMD can develop as the result of taking certain drugs. One on the list is an anti-malarial drug. Another is the anti-psychotic drug, thorazine. Physicians sometimes prescribe thorazine for excessive hiccuping, vomiting, and nausea as well. There is not unanimous agreement about the risk factors, with the exception of aging and smoking.
ARMD has no cure. The most medical professionals can do is attempt to slow the progress of ARMD and try to prevent the dry form from turning into the wet form. It is believed that diet plays a factor in preventing the disease.
Nutritional scientists are studying the efficacy of diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These include salmon and various other cold water fish. Until there is a cure, the best thing for seniors to do is exercise on a regular basis, eat a diet high in omega-3s, and avoid all forms of tobacco. This includes second hand smoke.
About the Author:
You can find a summary of the benefits you get when you consult a macular degeneration Washington DC specialist at http://www.bethesdaretina.com/services right now.