Macular Degeneration: A Guide

As people age, inevitable changes to your eyesight can become a growing concern. A leading cause of blindness and visual impairment is macular degeneration. This is a progressive eye disease that can significantly impact both central and side vision. The purpose of this post is to provide an overview of some factors that increase your risk of developing macular degeneration. Take a look at what types of things you may already be aware of, such as smoking and obesity, as well as other aspects which might not be on your radar just yet. Read on to find out more!

Genetics

While some claim that genetics is not an influential factor in your risk of developing macular degeneration, others have found a stronger link. Both environmental and genetic factors can increase your risk of developing macular degeneration, so it's important to keep track of which family members have been affected by the disease. That way, you can be proactive in lowering your own risk through healthy living.

Smoking

Macular degeneration and smoking are closely linked due to the associated risks of developing reduced vision. Smoking increases the amount of fat and cholesterol that collects on the walls of arteries. As time passes, the arteries that supply blood to the eye can become blocked, resulting in macular degeneration and blindness.

Obesity

In addition to the increased risk of developing macular degeneration that comes along with smoking, obesity is also linked to a corresponding increase in risk for developing reduced vision. Luckily, because the connection between obesity and decreased vision is so well known, more people are starting to take steps to avoid this disease by changing their diet and exercising more often.

Diet

While dieting is often associated with weight loss, it can also help lower your risk for macular degeneration. It is suggested that boosting the consumption of lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamins A, C and E can help to reduce your chance of developing macular degeneration. On the flip side, diets high in fat increase your risk for not only macular degeneration but other vision issues as well. So if you are concerned about the risk of macular degeneration, you should consider cutting back on fatty foods such as hamburgers while also supplementing your diet to make sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

If you would like to find out more, you should contact a local optometrist today.

Share