Macular Degeneration Risk Factors
Medically speaking, age-related macular degeneration primarily affects the elderly!
Vision loss is a common symptom of this disease. Loss of central vision distinguishes this disorder from others that affect eyesight. Damage to the macula, a part of the retina, is the root cause of this kind of blindness.
There's a dry variety and a moist variety. People over the age of fifty are disproportionately impacted.
This form of macular degeneration causes a loss of central vision, making it difficult to do things like reading, recognizing faces, and getting around. Although central vision may be compromised, most people retain enough peripheral vision to do daily duties.
Dry age-related macular degeneration, also called nonexudative AMD, is caused by the buildup of debris between the choroid and the retina. Drusen, the dry form of this debris, can cause the retina to detach, leading to the symptoms of blindness.
Growing blood vessels behind the retina are the most common cause of age-related macular degeneration's wet or exudative form. The choroid is the origin of these. Medication and laser coagulation can treat this type of age-related macular degeneration. As a result of this treatment, the abnormal blood vessel growth that is the root cause of the illness may be halted or even reversed.
Top Factors Increasing the Chance of Macular Degeneration
The central vision of those with macular degeneration deteriorates slowly over time. It can make simple things like going to the store or sending an email a challenge.
Macular degeneration is almost impossible to reverse. However, it can be slowed if detected in its early stages. To make the best decisions for your eyes, you need to be aware of the specific macular degeneration risks you face.
Age
Although juvenile forms of macular degeneration have been documented, AMD typically strikes adults over 60.
Descendant Tree
The creation of macula is affected by genetics. Several genes have been linked to the onset of the disease by researchers. According to research published in Nature, more than half of ARMD cases have a genetic component use.
Race
Macular degeneration can strike people of any ethnicity. However, it is most prevalent among Caucasians, those of Chinese descent, and those of Hispanic descent.
Smoking
Although the adverse effects of smoking on the lungs are well known, the reality is that smoking harms practically every area of the body, including the eyes. The chance of developing age-related macular degeneration is multiplied by as much as four in smokers and chronic secondhand smokers. Smokers are more prone to developing macular degeneration and display symptoms ten years earlier than nonsmokers.
Obesity
Many diseases and disorders, such as diabetes, cancer, and macular degeneration, are linked to obesity. A body mass index of 30.0 or higher has been linked to a 32% greater chance of late-stage macular degeneration.
Coronary Heart Disease
The blood vessels in your eyes are a part of a much more extensive network of blood vessels throughout your body. In persons with a stroke or heart attack, macular degeneration is 1.5 times more likely than in others. A higher chance of developing macular degeneration is associated with cardiovascular disease and other vascular disorders.
An Unhealthily Fatty Diet
Age-related macular degeneration is more likely to happen if you don't eat enough omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, beta-carotene, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber-rich foods. Eating too many harmful fats increases your risk of developing macular degeneration, as does not eating enough healthy fats.
Disorders of the Eyes
The following are some of the eye abnormalities that researchers have identified as contributing to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration:
- The presence of late age-related macular degeneration (wet or dry) in the other eye
- The presence of big drusen (yellow deposits under the retina)
- The presence of soft unclear drusen
- The presence of reticular drusen
- The presence of pigmentary alterations or depigmentation.