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Age-related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in those aged over 50. It causes a gradual loss of central (but not peripheral) vision. Central vision is needed for detailed work and for things like reading and driving. The disease does not lead to complete blindness. Visual loss can occur within months, or over many years, depending on the type and severity of ARMD. There are two main types of ARMD - 'wet' and 'dry'. 'Wet' ARMD is most severe but more treatable. Visual loss caused by ARMD cannot normally be reversed. New drugs are an exciting development for wet ARMD as they may halt or delay the progression of visual loss.

What is age-related macular degeneration?

ARMD is a condition that occurs when cells in the macula degenerate. This occurs with partial breakdown of the RPE and the cells become damaged and die. Damage to the macula affects your central vision which is needed for reading, writing, driving, recognising people's faces and doing other fine tasks. The rest of the retina is used for peripheral vision - the 'side' vision which is not focused. Therefore, without a macula you can still see enough to get about, be aware of objects and people, and be independent. However, the loss of central vision will severely affect normal sight. There are two types - 'dry' and 'wet' ARMD - described below.

Who gets age-related macular degeneration?

ARMD is the most common form of macular degeneration and develops in older people. There are other rare types of macular degeneration which occur in younger people. ARMD can affect anyone. It is the most common cause of severe sight problems (visual impairment) in the UK, and indeed in the developed world. It becomes more common with increasing age, as the name suggests. It is rare under the age of 60. If you developARMD in one eye, you have a high chance (about 6 in 10) that it will also develop in the other eye.

About 1 in 100 people aged 65-75, and about 1 in 8 people aged over 85 have ARMD severe enough to cause serious visual loss. About twice as many women over the age of 75 have ARMD compared with men of the same age.

New evidence strongly suggests smoking is high on the list of risk factors for macular degeneration. Other risk factors for macular degeneration include having a family member with AMD, high blood pressure, lighter eye colour and obesity. Some researchers believe that over-exposure to sunlight also may be a contributing factor in development of macular degeneration, but this theory has not been proven conclusively. High levels of dietary fat also may be a risk factor for developing AMD.

Dry Macular Degeneration (non-neovascular).

Dry AMD is an early stage of the disease and may result from the aging and thinning of macular tissues, depositing of pigment in the macula or a combination of the two processes.

Dry macular degeneration is diagnosed when yellowish spots known as drusen begin to accumulate in and around the macula. It is believed these spots are deposits or debris from deteriorating tissue. Gradual central vision loss may occur with dry macular degeneration but usually is not nearly as severe as wet AMD symptoms. However, dry AMD through a period of years slowly can progress to gradual degradation of retinal cells that also can cause severe vision loss.
There is increasing evidence that certain nutrients such as beta carotene (vitamin A) and vitamins C and E may help prevent or slow progression of dry macular degeneration. These findings have led to development of a number of different nutritional formulas for macular degeneration prevention.

Studies have shown that taking high dose formulas of certain nutritional supplements found in eye vitamins may reduce risk of early stage AMD progression by 25 percent HYPERLINK to Vitamins & Supplements

Wet Macular Degeneration (neovascular)

In about 10 percent of cases, dry AMD progresses to the more advanced and damaging form of the eye disease. With wet macular degeneration, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes permanent damage to light-sensitive retinal cells, which die off and create blind spots in central vision.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV), the underlying process causing wet AMD and abnormal blood vessel growth, is the body's misguided way of attempting to create a new network of blood vessels to supply more nutrients and oxygen to the eye's retina. Instead, the process creates scarring, leading to sometimes severe central vision loss.

Who Gets Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Besides affecting older populations, AMD occurs in whites and females in particular. The disease also can result as a side effect of some drugs, and it seems to run in families.

How Macular Degeneration Is Treated

There is as yet no outright cure for age-related macular degeneration, but some treatments may delay its progression or even improve vision.
Treatments for macular degeneration depend on whether the disease is in its early-stage, dry form or in the more advanced, wet form that can lead to serious vision loss. It is possible that nutritional intervention may help prevent its progression to the wet form.
For wet AMD, treatments aimed at stopping abnormal blood vessel growth include Lucentis, and Macugen used with Photodynamic Therapy.

Nutrition and Macular Degeneration

Many researchers and eye care practitioners believe that certain nutrients — zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamins A, C and E — help lower the risk for AMD or slow down the progression of dry macular degeneration. Benefits of high levels of antioxidants and zinc for halting or slowing development of macular degeneration have been widely reported based on results released in 2001 from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS).

At the present time the most popular & recommended nutritional supplements are: Macushield, Nutrof Total and Ocuvite Complete.

For more information we can direct you to the NHS information website.

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