Macular degeneration is a progressive eye disease that causes the central vision to gradually decline. It can lead to permanent blindness if left untreated. This guide will provide information on how to prevent macular degeneration and what you should do if it is already present.
Macular degeneration is a common eye condition. New treatment for macular degeneration 2020 will be released over the next few years and will help to improve eyesight.
The macula, a tiny region near the rear of the human eye’s retina that generates crisp, straight-ahead vision, is responsible for this. A disease called as age-related macular degeneration develops when that portion of the retina breaks down.
Macular degeneration is the most common cause of visual loss in individuals over 50, and although there is no treatment, there are steps that may be taken to decrease the risk of developing it.
Medical experts believe that proper diet and good living practices are important in preventing age-related macular degeneration.
What Effects Does Macular Degeneration Have on Vision?
The physical weakening or damage to the macula is known as macular degeneration. As a consequence, clear forward, center vision, both near and distant, is lost. A person with this disease may first notice that they are unable to distinguish small details in things in their center field of vision. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, as the disease worsens, so does the quality and clarity of the eyesight, impairing the person’s ability to drive, read, use a computer, or watch television.
Macular degeneration, on the other hand, has no effect on peripheral vision.
Types of Macular Degeneration
Wet and dry macular degeneration are the two forms of age-related macular degeneration.
The most prevalent kind of age-related macular degeneration is dry age-related macular degeneration, which accounts for 80% of all instances. It occurs when the macula thins with age and gets speckled with protein deposits known as drusen.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there is no official therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration, and visual loss is usually gradual.
Wet age-related macular degeneration is less frequent than dry age-related macular degeneration, but it is much more dangerous. It occurs when aberrant blood vessels develop under the retina, sometimes even into the sensitive macula, causing scarring. According to the Mayo Clinic, such veins bleed blood or other fluids, which get trapped between the layers of the back of the eye and cause the macular to distort.
Wet age-related macular degeneration may cause vision loss considerably more quickly than dry age-related macular degeneration.
Wet macular degeneration symptoms typically start abruptly and deteriorate quickly, according to the Mayo Clinic. Visual distortions, such as straight lines looking curved, diminished central vision in one or both eyes, decreased color intensity or brightness, a distinct fuzzy or blind patch in the patient’s field of vision, or an overall haziness, are some of the symptoms.
Risk Factors for Macular Degeneration
The American Academy of Ophthalmology states that although a precise reason for age-related macular degeneration has yet to be discovered, many variables place individuals at a greater risk of acquiring it. People who consume a high-saturated-fat diet, are overweight, or smoke are at a higher risk.
People over 50 with a family history of macular degeneration, as well as those with heart disease, hypertension, or high cholesterol, are at a greater risk, according to the academy.
Studies published by the National Institutes of Health indicate a connection between a high glycemic diet and macular degeneration. Those with a high glycemic load, such as white bread, digest fast and produce blood sugar rises, while foods with a low glycemic load, such as whole-grain bread, take longer to digest and cause blood sugar increases. The variations have an effect on the microbiota, which may be linked to the development of age-related macular degeneration.
Pigmentary Macular Degeneration (PMD) is a kind of macular degeneration that affects the eyes.
Interstitial cystitis, commonly known as bladder discomfort syndrome, is treated with Elmiron. This chronic illness may cause excruciating pelvic discomfort and the urge to pee often, but researchers think Elmiron might assist by mending the bladder’s inner surface and protecting it from inflammation or irritation caused by the waste elements in urine.
Unfortunately, new study suggests that after years of usage, Elmiron may develop pigmentary maculopathy. When the pigmented cells beneath the retina degenerate, the pigment floats into the macula, producing pigmentary maculopathy. As a consequence, the patient may suffer blurry vision, distorted vision, and a difficulty to adapt from a brightly lighted environment to darkness.
Other patients may struggle to read or see an object clearly up close. The visual alterations may develop in one or both eyes, and they are gradual yet painless.
Some patients have reported that their eyesight continues to worsen even after they stop using Elmiron, occasionally to the point of blindness.
After being hit with numerous lawsuits over Elmiron and its claimed connection to pigmentary macular degeneration, Janssen Pharmaceuticals amended the drug’s warning label in June to include a warning that retinal alterations are a potential adverse effect.
Several cases claim that Janssen was aware of the dangers Elmiron presented to eyesight but failed to inform the FDA, the medical community, or the general public.
Johnson & Johnson has a subsidiary called Janssen. Elmiron was approved by the FDA in 1995.
Macular Degeneration Research at Elmiron
Elmiron’s possible vision-damaging side effects have been the subject of many investigations. According to Emory Eye Center study published in 2018, several individuals who used Elmiron regularly for more than a decade developed pigmentary maculopathy. According to a Kaiser Permanente study, around 24% of Elmiron users who had been on the medication for at least five years showed indications of eye injury.
Because interstitial cystitis has no cure, many people who have been diagnosed with IC take Elmiron every day for years. Unfortunately, the amount of time a person is exposed to the medicine is linked to their chances of developing vision loss. Patients taking a greater dose of the drug may also be at a higher risk.
Elmiron-induced vision loss is usually irreversible, but patients may stop taking the medication to avoid further damage. However, some studies have shown that Elmiron eye damage may persist for a long period after a patient has stopped using the drug. Data from 12 women whose eyesight was evaluated at various times after they stopped taking Elmiron was included in a research published in the Journal of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science in 2020.
After discontinuing the medicine, none of the ladies were discovered to have recovered their visual skills, and many of them were found to have either impaired eyesight or fresh start of atrophy several months later.
Foods to Avoid If You Have Macular Degeneration
Experts believe that improving one’s diet is one of the most effective ways to prevent macular degeneration. According to an article published by Healthgrades, a source of consumer health care information, avoiding processed meals rich in saturated fats – junk food – is critical since they have been linked to “a greater risk of advanced macular degeneration, when vision loss is severe.”
According to the Healthgrades article, oils with high amounts of partly hydrogenated fats, such as coconut or palm oil, may have the same impact on the progression of macular degeneration as diets rich in saturated fat and sugar.
Eggs should be had sometimes, but in moderation. According to Healthgrades, egg yolks contain “one of the greatest amounts of the two main carotenoids—lutein and zeaxanthin—that may preserve your macula.” However, yolks raise cholesterol, which is linked to macular degeneration. According to Healthgrades, eating one egg each day in addition to a heart-healthy diet is a smart strategy.
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness. This guide will teach you how to prevent macular degeneration and what to do if it does happen. Reference: preventing macular degeneration a new theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you prevent macular degeneration from getting worse?
Macular degeneration is a condition that causes the central vision in your eye to become blurry and eventually go completely dark. The best way to prevent it from getting worse is by wearing sunglasses outdoors and doing regular eye exercises.
What vitamins should I take to prevent macular degeneration?
The best way to prevent macular degeneration is by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
What foods prevent macular degeneration?
Foods that are high in antioxidants like dark leafy greens, berries, and tea have been shown to prevent macular degeneration.
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