Different Views column: Macular Degeneration

From time to time people ask RantWoman things about eye conditions other than her own. RantWoman tries to be nice, but her first reaction frequently is "you can use the search engine of your choice as well as RantWoman can." RantWoman realizes that many people older and even also the same age or younger than RantWoman actually do not like search engines. This is why we also use alternative methods....

But RantWoman, what are good search terms? I don't WANT all 18 gazuillion petabytes per second of information zinging around the interwebs dumped out all over my desk.

Here is a nice article about macular degeneration. The article is nice to RantWoman's eye in that it contains LOTS of basic terminology and some symptoms of the condition. If you are suffering these symptoms, please consult an ophthalmologist. Don't just self-diagnose or even take RantWoman's word for it. Ask someone who gets paid to know what he or she is doing. But if you just need search terms to get started.

And if you want to show you are interested in RantWoman's opinions or are trying to figure out things to ask a loved one about things they might be experiencing, a really nice way to do that is to ask about RantWoman's experience. RantWoman is not modest and SOMETIMES likes talking about herself. Plus RantWoman enjoys hearing about other people's interests so RantWoman can sometimes phrase questions in terms of something the person does all the time. Well, sometimes.

January 2014      Macular Degeneration

Crash, and the glass full of water fell to the floor.  "I thought the glass was farther from me," Richard said as he started to clean up the mess.  After the same thing occurred again, he decided he  better move his hand very slowly until he felt the glass, when sitting at the table.

One day at work he noticed the printed lines on the document he was working on were not straight as they should be.  That afternoon while driving home he found the center line in the middle of the road was crooked and not straight.  "Who painted this line?  I wonder what his problem was," he mused.
A few weeks later at Richard's annual eye checkup the doctor said, "You have early Macular Degeneration."

Macular degeneration effects up to 10 million Americans and is so commonly associated with aging that it is known as "age related macular degeneration," or AMD.
AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in those older than age 50.  Itoccurs due to a deterioration of the macula, a tiny spot in the centralportion of the retina, comprised of millions of light-sensing cells that help produce central vision. As we age, these light-sensitive photoreceptors in the
macula may become thin, worn or damaged and covered with tiny hyaline
deposits known as drusen. This can cause objects directly in front of you to
appear blurry and lack in detail. When looking at a face, an AMD patient may
only see the ears clearly- the face is a blur.

Dry macular degeneration occurs because of a thinning in the tissues in the
macula and a dysfunction in the light- sensitive cells. This initially
produces subtle vision loss, such as a fuzzy appearance of objects and
eventually blank spots over the eye's central vision.

Wet macular degeneration is characterized by the development of abnormal
blood vessels in the area between your  retina and a layer of supporting
tissues behind it. As these blood vessels leak fluid, they damage retinal
cells. Over the course of time scar tissue forms creating a blind spot in
the center of your vision. Although wet AMD occurs in only about 10 percent
of cases, it's responsible for nearly 90 percent of severe vision loss from this disease.

Age and heredity appear to be the main cause, although gender and race
appear to play a role. Women are more likely than men to get AMD and it
affects about one in nine Caucasians between ages 65 to 74 and approximately
one in four older than age 75 but is uncommon in Asians, African-Americans,
and American Indians.

Some risk factors are Long-term exposure to ultraviolet light, low blood
levels of minerals and antioxidant vitamins, such as A, C and E, cigarette smoking,
heart disease, high cholesterol and other circulatory problems. A diet rich
in partially hydrogenated fats, such as those found in margarine and many
snack foods may also play a part.

AMD develops gradually and painlessly. In dry AMD, one may notice a gradual
haziness in vision, colors appear to be more dim, a blind spot in the center
of the visual field, and printed words become increasingly blurry. In
advanced cases, faces and printed words may become hard to recognize

In wet AMD you may notice visual distortions, such as straight lines
appearing wavy, and sudden decreased central vision

There are steps you can take that may increase your chances of preventing
AMD or slow its advancement.  A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and other
foods containing antioxidant vitamins A, C and E is believed to help prevent
AMD. Good sources of these nutrients include deep green, yellow and orange
vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, chard, spinach, squash, cantaloupe, mango and sweet potatoes.
Some researchers also suspect that food containing lutein and zeaxanthin
found in high concentrations in egg yolks, corn and spinach may be
beneficial. Many experts recommend at least five servings of vegetables each
day. Some research suggests that zinc-rich foods such as fish and legumes
may also offer a protective effect.

In a study published in the October 2001 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, researchers found that people at high risk of developing advanced stages ofAMD lowered their risk by about 25 percent when they consumed a daily supplement rich invitamins C and E, beta-carotene and zinc.
Orange, yellow, or amber-tinted sun glasses can filter out both ultraviolet and blue lightthat may damage your retina.  Smokers are two to three times more likely to develop AMD compared to non-smokers.

Early detection of macular degeneration is the key to preventing serious vision loss. If you're older than age 50, yearly eye exams are recommended, especially if you have a family history of AMD. Eye exams are very important for they can detect early changes in your vision that may otherwise be difficult to detect.

Ernie Jones
Author of Onesimus the Run /away Slave
Encouraging The blind
Greater love hath no man then this