What's The Macular Degeneration Washington DC Seniors Suffer And What Is The Cause

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By Karen Nelson


One of the most annoying things about growing older is that the body starts to wear out. Knees and hips have to be replaced. Hearing aids and prescription glasses become necessary accessories. Sometimes seniors have vision problems eyeglasses won't fix. The macular degeneration Washington DC senior suffer is one of them. Also referred to as ARMD, this condition involves the area of retinas that affect the sharpness of a person's vision. When it degenerates, reading, driving, watching television, and working on a computer are no longer options.

There are two forms of this disease, the wet and the dry. Of these two, dry ARMD is far and away the most common. The wet form is more severe and more likely to lead to a serious loss of eyesight. The dry form is the earliest stage of the disease. Vision loss is gradual with dry ARMD, but can degenerate into geographic atrophy which causes severe loss of eyesight. Early signs of the disease include fuzziness, distortions, and shadowy areas in a person's line of vision.

Losing your eyesight is scary, and people want to know what causes it, and if there are ways to avoid the condition. Experts say the most common cause is age, but there are other risk factors as well. These include being female, Caucasian, overweight, and a smoker. It also appears to run in families.

Smoking is one of its highest risk factors. Studies have shown that people who smoke make up about twenty-five percent of victims with the severest form of the disease. Even living with a smoker is a risk factor. It makes you twice as likely to get the disease as those living with non-smokers.

Other factors people don't have control over include eye color and heredity. It's not unusual for twins to be affected. Individuals with light colored eyes are more susceptible to the disease. It is believed by some that the extra pigment associated with dark eyes is a protection against exposure to the sun. The evidence is not conclusive however.

ARMD can develop as the result of taking certain drugs. One on the list is an anti-malarial drug. Another is the anti-psychotic drug, thorazine. Physicians sometimes prescribe thorazine for excessive hiccuping, vomiting, and nausea as well. There is not unanimous agreement about the risk factors, with the exception of aging and smoking.

ARMD has no cure. The most medical professionals can do is attempt to slow the progress of ARMD and try to prevent the dry form from turning into the wet form. It is believed that diet plays a factor in preventing the disease.

Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and other cold water fish are among the foods scientists are studying. Until a cure is found, the best idea for seniors is to eat a diet high in omega-3s, and exercise regularly. Most importantly, stay away from tobacco.




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