Five healthier habits for Age-related Macular Degeneration
Posted By RichC on October 5, 2022
Occasionally an article triggers me enough to save a PDF version, even though I rarely go to the folder on the computer where I’ve saved them. I’m not sure why I bother? Anyway, here’s a medical oriented article offering up 5 habits for healthier eyes.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of vision loss. As the name implies, it is associated with aging …
There are two types of late-stage AMD, wet and dry. With wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels develop beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid into the eye. About 10 to 20 percent of people with AMD have this type. The majority have dry AMD, where there is no leakage, but substantial vision loss can occur.
Perhaps it caught my attention because my own eyesight is degrading (naturally with age, I might add) and these additional habits are pretty easy to follow … which reminds me, I need to make an eye appointment.
Quit smoking
If you are a smoker, quit (and if you’re a nonsmoker, take care to avoid secondhand smoke). AMD is more common among smokers, and smokers develop AMD at younger ages than nonsmokers. People who smoke and have AMD are encouraged to quit. While quitting smoking can be very challenging, remember that there are resources to help you. Talk to your healthcare provider about nicotine replacement therapy and strategies for smoking cessation.Exercise
AMD is less common in people who have a healthy lifestyle that includes one to two hours of low-intensity exercise per day. Exercise also protects against other diseases associated with AMD, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure.Wear sunglasses
Exposure to sunlight can damage your eyes. Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses and brimmed hats.Eat green leafy vegetables and fish
Eat an overall healthy diet, one that includes green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, and fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. People with diets that include these foods are less likely to have AMD. These foods also promote overall health and eye health.Keep up with appointments
This includes appointments with your eye doctor as well as your primary care physician, and any specialists you see to manage other health conditions. As mentioned above, diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are associated with AMD. Keeping these conditions under control may help slow the progression of AMD, and are important to your overall health.
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