Macular Degeneration
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in older North Americans. Approximately 13 to 14 million Americans, and 30 percent of those over age 75, have some form of AMD. Unfortunately, due to aging baby boomers, AMD is expected to increase by 50 percent by the year 2020.
Although a cure for AMD has not been found, options for managing this sometimes devastating disease are expanding. If you have AMD, have a family history of AMD, or are age 60 or older, it is important to have an annual fully dilated eye exam with special attention to the macula.
New treatments are effective at slowing the progression of the disease and improving the vision of those with advanced AMD. However, the most effective way to preserve your vision is to know when or if these treatments are needed.
Also, smoking has been demonstrated to be the most consistent modifiable risk factor of AMD.
In other words, don’t smoke!
