Experiencing Difficulties In Vision With Age? Report To The Doctor!

Have difficulty in seeing things clearly? Are things looking crooked and wavy when they should be straight? Then do not wait and pay immediate attention to the limitations of the eye, significantly as age advances. Age-related macular degeneration or AMD is a shared vision disorder that comes about with progressing age, but doctors are optimistic about correcting the defects if diagnosed earlier.

Experiencing Difficulties In Vision With Age? Report To The Doctor!

AMD is considered as one of the major causes of vision loss in the older populations of the US, according to the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS). Dr. Philip Ferrone, the President of ASRS said that if any patient is experiencing any difficulty in vision like blurring of lines or diminished brightness of objects or any other related problems of the retina, then the person should immediately contact the physicians as early diagnosis of the disorder can help in its proper monitoring following treatments.

He said that modern technology of imaging and treatments like eye injections with anti-VEGF medications and accurate fluid resolution targeting can easily help alter the symptoms caused by age-related vision loss or complete blindness. But first and foremost, what is needed is the patient’s awareness about the disease and the minimum alertness to contact an eye doctor with the emergence of the first signs. Any patient with AMD or similar issues can be helped with the assistance of a retina specialist.

So what can cause this eye disease? It is basically a disease of older eyes, and more so, if there is any family history of such eye defects, then the chances of contracting the disorder are increased. But besides that, dietary habits also play an important part in the health of the eyes.

A diet deficient in nutrients included in colorful fruits and vegetables can be a major cause of the diseases, especially those containing carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, which help maintain a healthy macula. Other lifestyle habits that can affect AMD are smoking, indulgence in fatty and sugary food, leading to obesity, and other related diseases like high blood pressure and sugar. Also, too much exposure to the sun can sometimes lead to eye defects like AMD. 

Anybody with a poor and unhealthy dietary habit can suffer from AMD and other such vision problems. But AMD has a few signs and symptoms that can help in its mitigation if looked out for. Like one can cover one eye and look carefully at some straight object. If it appears wavy or warped, it might hint at something. Again, an Amsler grid, a white paper with black lines drawn and a dot in the middle, can be a good test to detect any vision issue.

People suffering from AMD might often see things to be blurry or dull and with decreased intensity and brightness. Giovanni Staurenghi, MD, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Milan, Italy, said that early detection and diagnosis can enhance the chances of revival from any vision problem and, after the treatment, a follow-up of fluid accumulation or other activity is necessary to prevent irreversible loss of vision. Staurenghi and his colleagues have been working on the efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy in moderating visual acuity. 

Patient education is an essential step in making them realize the early signs and symptoms of macular degeneration. It is a disease of the eye where the macula, a part of the retina, gets damaged which hinders the eyes from getting a sharp and straight vision. In more severe cases, there can be leakage of fluids from the back of the eye, leading to complete vision loss. February is the month of AMD awareness and people should strive to learn more about their vision and its problems to give it the best protection possible.