The age-related form, known as AMD, tends to affect individuals over the age of sixty. Younger adults can experience macular degeneration; however, the causes are entirely different.

Keep reading to learn about macular degeneration, how it affects your vision health, and how you can get this eye condition earlier in life!

What is Macular Degeneration? 

The macula, a portion of the retina just above the optic nerve, is what enables you to see clearly in your direct line of sight. Macular degeneration causes blurred or reduced central vision. 

However, side vision, also known as peripheral vision, is typically not affected.

What is AMD?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is most common in adults over sixty and is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in those over sixty-five. As you age, the macula can thin, losing cells essential to your vision. 

Dry macular degeneration is regarded as an early-stage disease. As it worsens, it can develop into wet macular degeneration. 

Only ten percent of dry macular degeneration cases progress to late-stage disease. However, wet macular degeneration accounts for ninety percent of the blindness caused by all cases of this condition.

What is Juvenile Macular Degeneration?

Juvenile macular degeneration, also called juvenile macular dystrophy, affects children and young adults. They are hereditary eye disorders passed down from the parents. 

The most common one is Stargardt disease. Others include Best disease and juvenile retinoschisis. All forms of juvenile macular degeneration are rare, with the latter two much rarer that Stargardt disease.

Symptoms of juvenile macular degeneration can first appear during the years of childhood or adolescence and are similar regardless of the disease. While Best’s disease develops slowly, with patients having near-normal vision well into adulthood, those with Stargardt disease often end up with 20/200 vision, which is defined as legally blind.

Juvenile retinoschisis not only affects central vision but can also impact side vision. For patients with Juvenile retinoschisis, half lose their peripheral vision. 

Genes and Juvenile Macular Degeneration

Because juvenile macular degeneration is a genetic disorder passed down from parents, it is far less common than AMD. Stargardt disease is linked to a recessive gene, meaning that a child must inherit genes from both parents for the condition to be expressed. 

Best’s disease is a dominant gene, so a child only has to inherit the gene from one parent for the disease to develop. Juvenile retinoschisis is a genetic mutation linked to the X chromosome and predominantly affects males who inherit this chromosome from their mothers, as fathers contribute the Y chromosome.

What Are the Symptoms of Macular Degeneration?

Whether macular degeneration is age-related or the juvenile form, the symptoms are similar:

• Blurry or blind spot in central vision in one or both eyes
• Visual distortions such as straight lines bending
• Words on the page or screen look blurry

While there is no cure for juvenile macular degeneration, there are clinical trials using gene therapies to treat the condition. Wearing sunglasses to protect the eyes from UV rays is recommended for those with juvenile macular degeneration and those wanting to preserve their sight.

Do you want to learn more about macular degeneration? Schedule an appointment at EyeHealth Northwest in Portland, OR, today!

The post Can You Get Macular Degeneration in Your Twenties? appeared first on Eye Health Northwest.

Without treatment, it results in vision loss. The American Academy of Ophthalmology reminds people that early detection of AMD is critical to preserving vision because February is age-related macular degeneration awareness month. It’s estimated that by 2030, more than 6 million Americans will have AMD, but new treatments can help older people save their vision.

What are the signs of Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

The first signs of macular degeneration may include blurred vision, difficulty seeing in dim lighting, and difficulty seeing fine details, like fine print and newspaper print. As it progresses, eyesight continues deteriorating, affecting a person’s ability to read road signs, recognize colors, or recognize people you know.

People experiencing AMD may begin to feel helpless or anxious because everyday activities, like watching TV or shopping, become more challenging. Without treatment, AMD can advance until a person has lost their central vision or is declared legally blind.

What Causes Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age is the leading cause of macular degeneration, and the rates of AMD increase as a person gets older. Up to 20 percent of Americans have some form of AMD by the time they are 75 years old.

However, there are additional risk factors that can increase a person’s likelihood of developing AMD, including:

• Genetics, or a family history of age-related macular degeneration
• Smoking may increase the risk of AMD progressing
• Women are more likely to be affected than men
• Caucasian people are more likely to suffer from AMD than others
• Obesity can be a contributing factor
• Poor nutrition or a poor diet
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Chronic diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol also can have an impact
• Having certain eye conditions, such as hyperopia and a light-colored iris

How Do You Treat Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

There are different treatments your experienced eye physician may recommend when treating age-related macular degeneration. Scheduling regular eye exams and receiving an early diagnosis is key in preserving vision and keeping the disease from progressing.

If you’re a smoker, quitting smoking is essential to preserving your eye health. Certain vitamins and supplements can also decrease the risk of AMD progressing, including taking vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc oxide, and Cupric oxide.

Be sure to meet with a doctor to discuss these options before taking any vitamins or supplements. Other treatment options may include administering medication directly into the eyes or photodynamic laser therapy to destroy abnormal blood cells in AMD.

Additional visual and reading aids, including electronic and magnifying glasses, can help make reading and enjoying everyday activities easier.

See Your Eye Doctor

The experienced eye physicians at EyeHealth Northwest have treated many people with age-related macular degeneration. Though there is no cure for AMD, getting a proper diagnosis and treatment plan will help slow or control the progression of AMD and preserve vision and quality of life.

Take the first step towards keeping your eyes healthy by scheduling an appointment at EyeHealth Northwest in Portland, OR, today!

The post Did You Know that February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month? appeared first on Eye Health Northwest.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a new pair of sunglasses this summer.

Look for Complete UV Protection

Don’t be fooled by the color or cost of a certain pair of sunglasses. Choose a pair that provides full protection against ultraviolet light. The ability to block UV light is not dependent on the darkness of the lens or the price tag attached to a particular pair of shades. Instead look for a label or sticker on the pair that you’re planning to purchase that says one or more of the following:

• Lenses block 99% or 100% of UVB and UVA rays
• UV 400 protection (This means the lenses block light rays with wavelengths up to 400 nanometers, which means that your eyes are shielded from even the smallest UV rays.)
• Lenses meet ANSI Z80.3 blocking requirements. (This refers to standards set by the American National Standards Institute.)

Ensure Sunglasses Block Enough Light

Sunglasses should screen out 75-90% of visible light. You can test to see if a particular pair of sunglasses is dark enough by trying them on in front of a mirror. If you can see your eyes easily through the lenses, they’re probably too light.

Choose Wraparounds

Wraparound styles of sunglasses offer bonus protection from the sun’s UV rays. Sunglasses that wrap around the temples prevent the sun’s rays from entering from the side. Some studies have shown that enough UV rays enter around standard sunglasses frames to reduce the protection offered by their lenses.

Check the Quality of the Lenses

Look for a uniform tint on the lenses making sure that one area is not darker than another. You can check for imperfections in the lenses by holding the glasses at arm’s length and looking through them at a straight line in the distance, such as the edge of a door. Slowly move the lens across the line of the door. If the straight edge distorts, sways, moves or curves, then the lens is flawed.

Eye Safety

It’s always important to remember that even the best pair of sunglasses cannot protect your eyes from certain intense light sources. Tanning lights, snowfields, arc welding or gazing directly at the sun (even during a solar eclipse) require special protection beyond that of sunglasses to prevent damage to your eyes.

Special Features

You may also want to take the time to consider which special features you may want or need when purchasing a new pair of shades.

Mirror coatings – Thin layers of various metallic coatings on lenses can reduce the amount of visible light that enters your eyes. These types of lenses are popular in high-glare environments and when combined with the wraparound feature, they can provide added protection to the skin surrounding your eyes.

Gradient – These lenses are permanently shaded from top to bottom or from top and bottom toward the middle. Single gradient lenses – which are dark on top and lighter on the bottom – can cut glare from the sky, but still allow you to see clearly below the gradient – this is especially good for driving, but not as helpful in the snow or on the beach. Double-gradient lenses – which are dark on top and bottom and lighter in the middle – may be better for sports where light reflects up off water or snow such as skiing or sailing.

Polarized – Polarized lenses cut reflected glare, which is what occurs when sunlight bounces off smooth surfaces like water or pavement. These lenses can be especially helpful when driving, boating or out in the snow. Polarization is unrelated to UV protection so you will still need to ensure UV absorption of your lenses even if they’re polarized.

Photochromic – This is a type of lens automatically darkens in bright light and becomes lighter in low light. Although photochromic lenses may be good UV-absorbent sunglasses (again, the label should specify this), it can take a few minutes for them to adjust to different light conditions.

Impact Resistant – While all sunglasses must meet minimum FDA standards in regards to impact resistance, no lens is truly shatterproof. Plastic lenses are less likely to shatter upon impact than glass lenses and polycarbonate plastic, which is used in many sports sunglasses, is even more impact resistant that regular plastic. However, polycarbonate lenses scratch very easily. If you purchase a pair of polycarbonate lenses, be sure to look for ones that have scratch-resistant coating.

The post Things to Look for when Purchasing New Sunglasses appeared first on Eye Health Northwest.

For adults 65 and older, it is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. Even though it is common as a result of aging, most people have not heard of AMD or know that it causes blindness.

To bring attention to AMD, February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month. The entire month is about educating and informing the public about the condition.

Keep reading to learn more about age-related macular degeneration!

What is age-related macular degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration is also known as macular degeneration. People develop AMD when the macula, a part of the retina, becomes damaged due to it breaking down.

The macula is the small part of the retina in the back of the eye that allows you to see tiny details and perform detail-oriented activities. Examples of detail-oriented activities include reading and driving.

What are the signs of age-related macular degeneration?

There are many signs associated with age-related macular degeneration. Some of them include having blurry vision, seeing dark spots, and noticing that your central vision isn’t working right.

AMD affects your ability to see different distances and things close up and take part in certain activities. If you have AMD, you might never be able to read, thread a needle, or drive because of how it impacts your vision.

Unlike other eye conditions, AMD does not affect your peripheral vision, but only your central vision. For example, you could see the car next to you, but not the one right in front of you.

Millions of Americans have age-related macular degeneration, and it is the leading cause of blindness for adults that are 65 and older. Adults with more serious cases of AMD are still able to see some things and can live their lives.

For most patients, the effects of AMD are pretty minimal.

How can I prevent or diagnose age-related macular degeneration?

The best way to prevent or diagnose age-related macular degeneration early on is to get frequent eye exams. With age, it is important to stick to the schedule that your eye doctor recommends.

Until age 60, most eye doctors recommend getting an eye exam every two years. For adults who are 60 and older, you should get annual eye exams.

Eye exams allow your doctor to see the different parts of the eye and detect any changes when they run various tests.

Diagnosing AMD early on will help you prevent it from progressing. If your age-related macular degeneration is not detected early on, it is more difficult to save your remaining vision. This is an important way to keep you from going blind.

While there is no cure for AMD, new treatments are being developed that make it easier for patients to live with AMD. These treatments let patients diagnosed with AMD preserve their remaining vision.

Do you think you have AMD? The best way to keep your eyes healthy is to have regular eye exams. Schedule an appointment at EyeHealth Northwest in Portland, OR now to see one of our eye doctors!

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AMD is the leading cause of blindness for adults 65 and older in the United States. There is confusion or lack of knowledge around AMD, especially the fact that it causes blindness. 

The month of February is dedicated to educating the public about AMD. Keep reading to become more aware of age-related macular degeneration! 

What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration? 

Age-related macular degeneration is also known as macular degeneration. People develop AMD when a part of the retina, called the macula, becomes damaged. 

This is because of a breakdown or degeneration of the macula. The macula is the small part of the retina in the back of the eye that lets you see tiny details and perform activities. Examples of activities include reading and driving. 

What are the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration?  There are many symptoms associated with age-related macular degeneration. They include blurry vision, seeing dark spots, and having central vision that doesn’t work right. 

It impacts your ability to see different distances and things close up and specific activities. You might never be able to read, thread a needle, or drive again if you have AMD. 

AMD does not affect your peripheral vision, only your central vision. For example, you could see someone sitting next to you, but not the person sitting across from you at a table. 

Over a million Americans have age-related macular degeneration. AMD is the main cause of blindness for adults 65 and up. 

For adults with more serious cases of AMD, they can still see some things and are able to live their life. For most patients, AMD effects can be small. 

Types of Age-Related Macular Degeneration 

There are two types of age-related macular degeneration. 

Dry AMD:

Dry AMD is the most common type of AMD. Over half of the patients diagnosed with AMD have dry AMD. 

Dry AMD causes your macula to deteriorate. This results in blurry central vision and/or blind spots and can turn into wet AMD. 

Wet AMD:

Wet AMD occurs when blood vessels develop under the retina and put blood and fluid in the macula. Your vision becomes distorted, like lines looking wavy.  Once symptoms occur, it develops quickly, causing you to lose your vision faster than dry AMD. 

Getting regular eye exams is the best way to prevent and diagnose AMD early on. This will help you prevent it from progressing. 

If AMD is not detected early on, it is more challenging to save remaining vision. Vision loss from AMD is irreversible. 

It’s important to diagnose and treat AMD early to prevent you from going blind. 

Though there is no cure for AMD, there are treatments that make AMD easier to live with. These treatments make it possible for patients with AMD to save remaining vision.

Ready for an eye exam? Schedule an appointment with our doctors at EyeHealth Northwest in Hillsboro, OR! Seeing an eye doctor for an eye exam is your best defense against any eye condition, including AMD!

The post This Month Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month appeared first on Eye Health Northwest.

Here are 5 other vitamins and nutrients that you should consider adding to your daily intake:

Zeaxanthin and Lutein: These are considered to be important nutrients for your eye health and can be easily added to your diet through the addition of leafy green vegetables and eggs. Quite a few studies have been done that point to a diet with ample lutein and zeaxanthin reducing your risks of developing chronic eye disease, such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Vitamin C: Found primarily in fruits and vegetables, Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Studies suggest that vitamin C can lower your risk of developing cataracts and taken in conjunction with other vitamins and nutrients it is said to slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration.

Vitamin E: Considered to be a strong antioxidant, vitamin is found in high concentrations in nuts and sweet potatoes. Studies suggest that vitamin E helps to protect cells in your eyes from free radicals that can cause damage to your eyes fragile tissue.

Essential Fatty Acids: These are fats that are considered to be an important part of our diets. These fats are said to fuel our cells, boost our immune system and even maintain our nervous system. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids are also considered to be important in maintaining proper eye health and retinal function. Fatty such, such as salmon are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Zinc: This mineral is considered to play an essential role in transferring vitamin A from our liver to our retinas, which produces melanin—a pigment that helps to protect our eyes. Zinc concentrates heavily in our eyes, but predominantly in the retina. Studies suggest that ensuring you are receiving ample amounts of zinc in your daily diet will help to protect the inner workings of your eye.

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Here are 5 tips to help improve your eye health and reduce your risks of future vision loss:

1. Wear UV ray blocking sunglasses: Over-exposure to the suns harmful UV rays can increase your risks of developing cataracts dramatically. Choosing the proper pair of sunglasses when you go outside is necessary in reducing your eyes exposure to the sun, as well as reduce your risks of developing cataracts. Make sure your sunglasses of choice are certified to block 100% of UV-A and UV-B rays for optimum levels of protections.
2. Eat a balanced and healthy diet: Failing to supply your eyes with the right amounts of vitamins and nutrients can increase your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Look to eat more than just carrots though, as there are a variety of other vegetables (such as leafy greens) that also have high levels of eye nutrients. Make sure your diet has plenty of Vitamins C and E, as well as zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids!
3. Put down the cigarettes: Smoking tobacco is directed linked to a large assortment of health issues, this includes age-related macular degeneration. Studies show that smokers are far more likely to develop symptoms of AMD compared to those who do not or have never smoked. Smokers are also at a increased risk of developing cataracts.
4. Make sure to wear eye protection: There are an estimated 2.5 million eye injuries in the U.S. alone every year, so make sure you are taking the necessary precautions to protect your vision when working in hazardous environments or with power tools. These eye injuries are also caused while doing outdoor activities, such as playing sports, so always make sure your protective eyewear is certified to protect your vision.
5. Take eye fatigue seriously: If you work in an office and spend most of your day staring at a computer screen, make sure you are taking the necessary steps to provide your vision time to rest throughout the day. Simply taking a moment to close your eyes for a few seconds every hour, will do plenty in the long run to help reduce symptoms of digital eye strain and eye fatigue.

The post Top 5 Ways to Help Your Eye Health and Reduce Risks of Vision Loss appeared first on Eye Health Northwest.

Thankfully, today we have devised some ways to help reduce your risks of developing this debilitating eye condition. Here are 5 Things You Can Do To Protect Your Vision From Macular Degeneration:

1.     Know your family’s medical history: If you discover that a close relative has AMD, then your risks of developing this eye condition increase drastically to a 50% chance. Knowing this information allows for you to schedule eye exams accordingly. Catching AMD early is essential in regards to protecting your vision. We aren’t able to cure AMD yet, but catching it early allows for us to potentially slow down the vision loss.

2.     Put down those cigarettes: A large amount of studies suggest that smoking increases your risk of developing AMD. Smoking has also been known to speed up your rate of vision loss should you be diagnosed with it. Smokers are considered to be twice as likely to develop AMD, then those who do not smoke.

3.     Get into fitness: There are plenty of studies out there that suggest that exercising regularly helps to improve your eye health. Some studies even suggest that exercising three times a week can reduced your risks of developing more serious forms of AMD by as much as 70 percent.

4.     Eat a balanced, nutrient rich diet: Eating a diet that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, but low in saturated fat and cholesterol is ideal for your eyes. Studies have shown that people who eat diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids have reduced risks of developing AMD. Little tip—fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

5.     Schedule regular eye exams: In the early stages of AMD, most people aren’t going to see obvious symptoms with their vision. Having regular eye exams with your eye doctor is essential in catching AMD early, as only an eye doctor can detect symptoms in the early stages.

The post 5 Things You Can Do To Protect Your Vision From Macular Degeneration appeared first on Eye Health Northwest.

Orange Vegetables

I’m sure you remember at least one person telling you when you were a child that “you need to eat your carrots because it’s good for your eyes!” The reason we were all told this as children is that carrots and other orange vegetables contain high levels of beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A that plays a key role in powering your vision. It is also no coincidence that all orange vegetables are good for your eyes, because beta-carotene is also what makes vegetables have an orange hue.

Leafy Greens

This is a very broad category, essentially if it’s a vegetable and its green chances are it has got lutein and zeaxanthin in it. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids—a class of more than 600 naturally occurring pigments synthesized by plants—that help filter out harmful blue wavelengths of light. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids that are deposited in high quantities in the retina of the eye. Leafy greens act as an antioxidant of sorts for your eyes which helps to prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. So make sure not to forget to eat your spinach!

Eggs

The yolk of an egg is high in lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc. We discussed the benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin above, but zinc is another nutrient that is considered to be good for your eyes. Much like lutein and zeaxanthin, it said to help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts, but as an added benefit it can also help with night blindness.

Citrus

Oranges and grapefruits are just a couple of the citrus fruits out there that are jam packed full of vitamin C. Why is this important for eye health? Because vitamin C does a lot more than just help you get over the common cold. Virtually every cell in the body depends on vitamin C, this includes those of the eye. It helps support the health of your ocular blood vessels. Having a little citrus every day can help prevent age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Blueberries

Within these little berries lies: vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and zinc. Some could consider the blueberry to be a “jack of all trades” in regards to the nutrients it provides.

• Vitamin C, as discussed above, is said to help prevent glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration
• Vitamin A (which beta-carotene stems from) can help prevent dry eyes, and generally promotes good eye health
• Vitamin E may help prevent the formation of cataracts and the clouding of the eye lens
• Zinc, as discussed above, can help protect your eyes against macular degeneration and glaucoma, as well as reduce night blindness

Blueberries are great antioxidants for your entire body, and they are fantastic in a bowl of cereal.

Almonds

One handful of almonds (approximately an ounce) provides about half of your daily vitamin E. As covered in the blueberry portion of this article; Vitamin E can help prevent the formation of cataracts and the clouding of the eye lens.

Fatty Fish

This may not sound the most appetizing, but you might be surprised to learn that some of the post popular fish out there are fatty fish. Tuna, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, and trout are all considered to be fatty fish, making them rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural component of the retina. If you suffer from low levels of DHA in your diet, you might have issues with dry eye syndrome.

So there you have it! While including all of these foods into your diet may not ensure perfect eye health, the fact remains that eating healthy does help to ensure a better quality of life. 

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Children as well as adults can be affected by low vision. People can be born with conditions like albinism or optic nerve damage that can result in low vision. But low vision is most common in adults and seniors. 

Low vision treatment requires different approached as each individual case of low vision may differ. Treatment plans may include specialized optical systems, prescription glasses, video magnification, non-optical options and/or medical rehabilitative therapy to maximize the ability to perform every day activities such as dressing, grooming, bathing, and eating. Many low vision patients maximize their remaining vision with the use of vision aids. These low vision devices can help to enhance contrast, magnify objects and lessen glare. 

In observance of Low Vision Awareness Month, EyeHealth Northwest encourages everyone to have a complete eye exam. Getting an annual eye exam increases the chances of early detection and diagnosis of conditions that may lead to vision loss. 

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