Macular degeneration not inevitable for aging adults

September 1, 2010

While thinning hair and wrinkles may be hard to avoid as one grows older, loss of vision doesn't have to be part of becoming a senior. According to The Osceola Sentinel-Tribune, there are certain habits adults can practice to prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the leading cause of blindness in adults.

"AMD is a disease that we can prevent and manage," Dr Alan Cruess, chairman of AMND Alliance International's Scientific Advisory Panel, told the news source. "We have the ability to save the sight of many Americans each year."

People over 50 should be concerned about their eye health, as it is this age at which the risk of developing AMD begins for most adults. Those in this age range should visit their eye doctor routinely, as this can help identify AMD before it causes vision loss.

Seniors should also know about risk factors that increase ones vulnerability to AMD. Smoking, poor diet, obesity and high blood pressure all contribute to elevated risk factors for this disease, according to the news source.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1.8 million people over the age of 40 suffer from AMD while another 7.3 million are at a substantial risk of developing the disease.