EYE HEALTH: Macular Degeneration. How can our vision be saved?

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   J - R - Fr13m9nposted 9 years ago

   
   As we age certain downsides to the aging process affect our vision. Educate the HubPages followers on the best treatment and eye care.

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Good nutrition. No white flour. No white sugar. Plenty of sleep. Exercise. Sunglasses / hat.
      Maybe not keyboarding on the internet…
      excessively.

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         wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         None of which has been shown to even slow the progress of MD, let alone reverse it.
         
         Sunglasses and hat help alleviate some symptoms, but the disease progresses whether they are worn or not.
         
         My mother, at 92 and living alone, has fought MD for many years.  She is now getting shots to the eye which has (perhaps) slowed the progress of the disease but she is still legally blind.  In spite of all the vitamins ever offered for eye disease, despite living almost exclusively from garden produce and limited amounts of meat, despite despite exercising regularly her entire life, despite ALWAYS wearing eye protection outside, she is still at the point she is afraid to walk the neighborhood because she can't see the cars coming from 20' away. 
         
         You really need to understand that all the nutrition and all the exercise in the world won't stop all diseases, and that the human body has faults built into each and every one of us, faults that will not be corrected by nutrition/exercise.

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            Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            I do not plan on getting macular degeneration, cataracts, arthritis or cancer. What... is it just a matter of good genetics/luck?

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               wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Your plans don't mean much.  Your genetics and environment mean a lot more than planning. 
               
               Yes, you can plan not to get lung cancer from smoking, or skin cancer from excessive sun, but others?  We have little idea what causes most cancerous growths.  And you certainly cannot take steps to prevent macular degeneration, cataracts or even hemorrhoids.  Diet and nutrition can help a great deal in providing a better old age, but we still age and suffer all the deterioration that comes with it.

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         Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I have no idea whether any of those things will help prevent macular degeneration.   The most important thing is not to smoke - a clear link has been established.

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   paradigmsearchposted 9 years ago

   Lutein supplements sometimes slow it down. But, basically, those who have it are <snipped>.

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   Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years ago

   Risk
   People at risk of developing macular degeneration are people over the age of 60, people with a family history of the disease or people who have been diagnosed with hypertension, high cholesterol, or heart disease.
   
   Diet
   Eating food high in lutein and zeaxanthin can lower the risk of developing macular degeneration. Examples include egg yolks, yellow corn, kiwi fruits, grapes, spinach, orange juice, zucchini and squash.
   
   
   
   Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5347819_cause … source=ask

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      wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      From your link:
      
      "The exact cause for macular degeneration is unknown. It is associated with age related changes in the eyes of people over 50 years old. (bolding added)
      
      It would seem that your statement that proper diet can stop it isn't true.  Age is the biggest association known and as far as I know we will ALL age regardless of diet.

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         Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         What's interesting is the link with smoking.  When my father got it, he was told very clearly that his heavy smoking had been a major cause, because it had affected the circulation behind the eye.
         
         http://www.quitnow.gov.au/internet/quit … ings-b-eye
         http://dukeeyecenter.duke.edu/modules/e … x.php?id=3
         http://www.macularsociety.org/about-mac … generation
         http://www.mdfoundation.com.au/resource … s_2012.pdf
         
         It's interesting that some websites pooh-pooh this idea, and one can only suspect the tobacco lobby at work, just like they tried to cover up the link between tobacco and lung cancer.

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            wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            The tobacco lobby, or the anti-tobacco lobby - one is about as rabid as the other.
            
            For now, I'll with hold judgement, although it doesn't matter to me either way.

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   J - R - Fr13m9nposted 9 years ago

   I thank all for their interest in this topic. I explored the link that was provided by one of the hubbers and I found it to be informative. Here it is:
   
   Causes of Macular Degeneration
   By Karen Carter, eHow Contributor
   
     Macular degeneration is where the middle area of the retina or macula deteriorates. This leads to blurry and distorted central vision. Macular degeneration can develop into a blind spot in its worst form.
   
           The exact cause for macular degeneration is unknown. It is associated with age related changes in the eyes of people over 50 years old.
      
   Dry Macular Degeneration
           Dry macular degeneration is the first stage of this disease. It is caused by the thinning of the macula tissues in the eyes and leads to a gradual vision loss.
   
   Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5347819_cause … source=ask
   
   It reads on to inform the public of "Wet Degeneration", a later phase of the degeneration. People who have this condition can also have hypertension.

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      wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, people with MD might have hyper tension.  Or not - it certainly strikes those that do not as well as those that do.

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   J - R - Fr13m9nposted 9 years ago

   Here is a statement from Duke University's Opthamology Research:
   Study Explains How Smoking Raises Risk of Macular Degeneration
   
   DURHAM, N.C. - Cigarette smoke and its component tar trigger the formation of deposits and thickening in the retina that cause age-related macular degeneration, Duke University Medical Center researchers have found. In experiments with mice, they also discovered heavy exposure to secondhand smoke produces similar changes.
   
   Yes smoking is one of the culprits that cause macular degeneration.

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