Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration is a very common eye disease that causes vision loss and blindness in individuals that are 65 years and older.  What distinguishes this from other eye disorders is that macular degeneration causes a loss in the center of the field of vision.  Blurry vision is a key symptom that is noticed in individuals with this condition.  Any changes from your normal vision may cause you to become discouraged because the five minutes that you used to be able to do your daily task in could now have turned into 20 minutes.  Regular eye examinations are important to your overall vision health and should not be put off much longer.

Age-related macular degeneration is a degeneration of the macula…as the name states.  The macula is a part of the retina that is responsible for the sharp central vision that is required in order for you to read or drive.  As always, everyone is different in how they experience medical conditions and how well they respond to treatment.  However some signs and symptoms of macular degeneration include:

·        Vision abnormality where straight lines appear wavy

·        Blurred vision…of course

·        Distorted vision

·        Inability to see when light is dim

·        Partial vision loss

·        Seeing spots

·        Dry eyes

·        Abnormal blood vessels appearing in the eyes

·        Slow, painless loss of vision

Macular degeneration will be diagnosed by your provider as either dry or wet.  Wet macular degeneration refers to growth of new blood vessels in an area, such as the macula, where they should not be.  The dry form of macular degeneration is more common, and the wet form usually leads to more serious vision loss.  Since dry macular degeneration is more common, here are some characteristics:

·        Early stage of the disease that may result from aging & thinning of macular tissues

·        Diagnosed when yellow spots begin to build up in and around the macula

·        The yellow spots are believed to be deposits from tissue that is deteriorating

·        Gradual central vision may occur with dry macular degeneration

Total Home Health is all about prevention and working hard to ensure your most optimal health at all times.  Sometimes in order to be healthy you have to take control and make small lifestyle changes in order to prevent bigger health problems in the future.  Such as in the case of macular degeneration…some of the best ways to prevent this from happening to you is eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and wearing sunglasses that will protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.  In case you’re wondering, here are some risk factors for macular degeneration:

·        Smoking

·        Family history

·        High blood pressure

·        Having a lighter eye color

·        Obesity

·        High levels of dietary fat

·        Over-exposure to sunlight

·        Lack of activity

·        Side effects of medication

Although there is no definitive treatment to cure macular degeneration, a special combination of vitamins and minerals may reduce the progression of the disease.  Surgery may also be an option.  Complete restoration of your vision will not happen.  Treatment of the type of macular degeneration you are diagnosed with will be individualized to what extent your vision is compromised.  Once your provider determines your treatment and performs the initial care, Total Home Health will take it from there and maintain your vision health in your home.  Don’t wait any longer, enroll today!

Having to either cope yourself, or watch your loved ones cope with macular degeneration and vision loss can be a devastating experience.  The tasks once enjoyed such as reading the mail, shopping, cooking, and writing can all begin to get challenging.  When you are no longer able to do the things you enjoy at a suitable level, you begin to have feelings of hopelessness and hate the thought of having to depend on someone else to do things for you.  It’s human nature.  However, you will find the help you need with our professional services and staff with Total Home Health.  We may not be able to restore your vision, but we will introduce you to many ways to help make the most of what you’ve got left.  What are you waiting for?  Enroll with Total Home Health today!