Risk Factors for Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is an age-related disorder in which sharp, central vision gradually diminishes. It remains one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States.

While age-related, your risk for macular degeneration is also linked to your sex, your race, and your family history. In addition to factors beyond your control, risks for macular degeneration may rise due to things such as:

• Tobacco use
• Obesity
• Poor diet
• High blood pressure
• Over exposure to direct sunlight

Whether or not you are at a heightened risk for macular degeneration, it is important that you begin to see an eye doctor once a year after the age of 65. Macular degeneration is not treatable, but it is manageable. The earlier your eye doctor can detect this degenerative vision disorder, the better your chance of maintaining clear sight in the future.

To slow the progression of macular degeneration your eye doctor may recommend quitting smoking, adding more nutrient-dense foods to your diet, and engaging in more physical activities. What is right for you is best determined by your eye doctor and will be based on your unique needs.

Please visit our the LASIK Directory to find an experienced ophthalmologist in your area today.