Preventive measures for macular degeneration

Prevention Measures for Macular Degeneration

Author: Lutein

Added Time: 2012-02-24 10:37:00

The macula is the most important part of the retina, with a diameter of only 1.5 millimeters, yet it controls all of a person's daytime vision and manages both visual acuity and central vision. If pathological changes occur in the macula, as age progresses, symptoms such as blurred vision, distortion, black spots or patches appearing in the central area of the visual field may occur. If left untreated, this could lead to difficulties in reading, driving, and recognizing others' faces. In severe cases, it will cause a decline in daily living abilities, significantly impacting quality of life. Macular degeneration is one of the main causes of blindness in the elderly, known as the "vision killer," and is the leading disease causing blindness in adults globally and among the elderly population in some cities in China. In the U.S. and some European countries, the number of blind people caused by macular degeneration exceeds the total number of blind people caused by three common eye diseases—glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy, making it the top cause of blindness. Last year's statistics in Shanghai showed that macular degeneration has replaced cataracts as one of the main causes of blindness.

There are several risk factors for age-related macular degeneration: Age is the only clearly identified risk factor. Additionally, gender (studies show women are twice as likely to develop this disease compared to men), smoking, long-term exposure to blue skies and sunlight, poor nutrition (such as low levels of carotene, etc.) should be noted. People experiencing these phenomena should seek medical examination promptly. Those diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration should not smoke, follow a balanced diet, consume more green leafy vegetables, limit high-fat foods, exercise appropriately, and control their weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood viscosity. Taking antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, carotene, and supplementing with trace elements can also prevent and delay further progression of the disease.

A major characteristic of age-related macular degeneration is that its incidence increases with age. According to epidemiological surveys conducted in 1989, 1992, and 1994 by Chinese experts, the incidence rate of age-related macular degeneration in people aged 50-59 years was between 3.66% to 5.50%, while in those aged 60-69 years, it ranged from 6.04% to 11.19%. Although the prevalence of this disease is increasing due to aging populations, public awareness and attention to this condition remain low. Without treatment, after 3-4 years, only 1% of patients maintain vision above 0.5, 50% experience significant vision loss, and another 50% suffer severe damage with vision dropping below 0.02. However, due to a lack of understanding about the disease, some elderly individuals mistakenly attribute their symptoms to fatigue or cataracts, delaying treatment and ultimately leading to blindness. The earliest sign of age-related macular degeneration is distorted vision. A black, patch-like blind spot appears right in the center of what you see. Experts warn that many elderly people mistake these symptoms for normal aging, thinking that they just need more rest and sleep. Unknowingly, they lie down for over ten days without improvement, and instead, the condition worsens, thus missing the optimal treatment time. Experts point out that if detected early and treated promptly, 85% of patients can preserve good vision, like the case of Aunt Zhu mentioned at the beginning of the article. Additionally, patients with diabetes almost universally develop age-related macular degeneration within 5-7 years; therefore, they should undergo examinations at least every six months, preferably every three months.