Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common condition that mostly affects people in their 50s and 60s – and can lead to complete loss of vision in extreme cases.
And when it comes to our vision and our general eye health, it can be easy to believe that it is out of our control. In addition to regular eye exams, is there much we can do to influence the variables? It’s possible, one expert revealed – with what we eat it’s a good place to start.
Clinical Consultant for the College of Optometrists, Denise von McCoptom specifically talks about how to reduce your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) through diet.
AMD initially affects your center of vision, rather than your peripheral vision, and can present as blurred or blurred vision. This can progress to complete loss of vision in the center – resulting in a black spot.
In severe but rare cases it can lead to blindness.
Diet and AMD
“Eating healthy is not only good for your overall health, but it can have an effect on your eyes,” von McCoptom explained. First, there are certain harmful substances called oxidants in the body that are believed to be involved in the aging process. In the eyes, oxidants can cause “Cells deteriorate faster, which can lead to a condition called age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Fortunately, there are some substances that can be found in foods called antioxidants and carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin. These may help protect against oxidants.”
Three vitamins that can protect against AMD due to their antioxidant properties are A, C, and E.
And she continued: “Vitamin A can be found in dairy products, oily fish and some vegetables such as carrots. Vitamin C is found in fruits such as kiwi and mangoes. Vitamin E can be found in sunflower seeds, avocados and dried tomatoes. Lutein and zeaxanthin are found mainly in green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach but also in corn, durum wheat and egg yolks.”
“The second benefit is that a good healthy diet can reduce the risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, which can also lead to vision loss,” she added.
“If you have witnessed AMD, you may notice that your vision is not as good as usual, especially straight lines that look wavy. It becomes difficult to recognize faces, or to read or watch television. About 10 to 15% of people with AMD have difficulty “The early ones will develop wet AMD, and experience rapid vision loss. It is treatable if caught quickly.”
Other symptoms of AMD include:
Seeing straight lines as wavy or crooked.
Objects that appear smaller than normal.
– Colors appear less bright than they were before.
Seeing things that are not there (hallucinations).
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