The retina is the skin inside the eye that contains the photoreceptor cells, which react to light. The most sensitive part of the retina is the macula. This is because more photoreceptors live in the macula than anywhere else in the retina, allowing the macula to see more fine detail.
Age Related Macular Degeneration, otherwise known as AMD, affects the macula. It is caused by age changes over time damaging the retina and therefore making the vision worse. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in the UK.
Macular Degeneration comes in two forms: Dry AMD and Wet AMD. Dry AMD tends to affect the vision less, though there is no treatment currently. Wet AMD can be treated with injections to try to stop it from worsening and tends to have a larger impact on the vision.
AMD can run in families and those with a parent or grandparent that has it have a higher chance of having the condition themselves at some stage. However, there are many lifestyle factors that can make it much more likely that a person will develop AMD. These lifestyle factors are:
- Smoking. People who smoke are up to four times more likely to develop AMD.
- UV light damage
- Poor diet.
Stopping smoking, protecting your eyes from the sun by using brimmed hats and sunglasses with a UV filter, and a varied diet with lots of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are the best ways to prevent AMD.
Changes to your diet and lifestyle can help protect you from AMD. Supplements such as I-Caps to help maintain macular health are available in practice. We strongly recommend regular OCT 3D scans if you are concerned about AMD.