Baby Boomers are getting older, and, they are not quietly arriving at any stage in their life. Therefore, more than ever before, attention is focused on eyesight.
There will be about 200,000 occurrences of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that are diagnosed each year, and, it is a disease that affects women more often than men.
Age-related macular degeneration, AMD is now the number one reason of vision loss in adults over 60.
It affects the macula, which is the section that focuses on seeing fine detail.
AMD causes the loss of your sharp, central vision. This is necessary for reading or driving, and many other tasks you do each day.
Macular degeneration affects more women than men, this is a proven fact.
There are other risk factors involved; including smoking, obesity, even genealogy and also race.
White adults seem to be more affected than blacks.
AMD is a very difficult problem to detect because there really are not signs, and it moves in so gradually, that it is often not detected in the very early stages. This by itself is reason enough to go for regular eye exams. And, make sure that you go to the right eye doctor for these exams.
This disease can move slowly, or it can also move rapidly. You need to become aware and pro-active with your eye care. Become involved!
And, take regular exams! The sooner you catch this eye disease, the more you can be helped. AMD can be diagnosed at a routine eye exam.
April is also: Women's Eye Health and Safety Month
We just cannot overlook the impact age can have on eyes. As a matter of fact, it even has a name, it is age-related eye disease (ARED). There are basically four different types of eye diseases that are the most common.
- glaucoma
- cataract-age
- related macular degeneration (discussed above)
- diabetic retinopathy
These can all creep up very quietly during your aging year. They threaten your vision. Those over 60-65 are the most at danger of having any of these eye diseases. This is why it is imperative that you go to your eye doctor. Don't just go to your eye doctor, but even establish a relationship with this doctor.
Obviously eyesight is one of the greatest assets we have. Let's work to keep our eyesight functioning at the highest level possible.
And please, remember, this article is not to diagnose or treat. It is written simply to shake you out of complacency and to make you become pro-active in your own eye care.
