The Villages - August 2022 - 14

AGE-RELATED MACULAR
DEGENERATION
Data from the BrightFocus Foundation, a nonprofit
You may not be able to prevent diabetic retinopathy if you
have diabetes, but there are steps you can take to prevent
severe vision loss.
* Manage your diabetes with a healthy diet and
exercise schedule - try to get at least 150 minutes of
moderate aerobic activity, such as walking, every week.
Take diabetes medications or insulin as directed.
* Monitor your blood sugar level - check and record
your blood sugar level several times a day, or more frequently,
if you're ill or under stress. Ask your doctor how often
you need to test your blood sugar.
* Ask your doctor about a glycosylated hemoglobin
test - also known as a hemoglobin A1C test, which reveals
your average blood sugar level for the two to three months
prior to taking the test. The ideal goal for most people with
diabetes is to be under 7%.
* Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under
control - eat healthy foods, exercise regularly and shed
those extra pounds. There may be cases where medication
is needed.
* If you use tobacco in any way, even in the form of
vaping, ask your doctor to help you quit - smoking is
bad for you. In this case, it increases your risk of diabetic
retinopathy. Data provided by the CDC states that those who
smoke have a higher risk of belly fat and increases their
chance for type 2 diabetes even if they aren't overweight.
Some treatment plans for type 2 diabetes require insulin injections,
which make it difficult, considering the chemicals
in cigarettes make the cells in your body stop responding to
insulin.
* Monitor any vision changes - contact your doctor
right away if your vision suddenly changes, becomes blurry,
spotty or hazy.
14
AUGUST 2022
that supports vision-related research, shows there are as
many as 11 million people in the United States who suffer
from age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease
that hinders the eye's central vision. This number is
expected to double by the year 2050 and in many cases
it's hereditary.
" Just because a family member had it, " Armstrong
said; " doesn't mean you're going to get it. But it does
mean everyone should have their eyes screened to make
sure there isn't anything going on. " This is especially important
if an immediate member of your family has the
disease.
There are two different types of macular degeneration,
although, the symptoms vary on a case-by-case basis in
Armstrong's experience.
" It's very unpredictable, " Armstrong said. " Some people
have signs of macular degeneration and don't have vision
change ever. For others, it's slow and steady. Macular
degeneration does whatever it wants and we just respond
to it. "
Drusen
Degenerated
Macular
Fatty
Deposits
Behind
Retina
EYE WITH MACULAR DEGENERATION
DRY FORM
Is the most common form of macular degeneration
accounting for 90% of cases in which the light sensitive
cells of the macula (responsible for central vision)
begin to break down. Reduced central vision in one
or both eyes begin to occur, and straight lines appear
bent. It should be noted that this form can cause loss
of vision without changing into the wet form of the
disease. It is also possible that the dry form of macular
degeneration in its early stages can suddenly change
into the wet form.
The Villages - August 2022

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