Along with a list of other observances dedicated to raising awareness about important eye health topics throughout the year, February has been named Age-Related Macular Degeneration month.
Therefore, the American Academy of Ophthalmology is urging everyone to guard their vision against Age-Related Macular Degeneration this February.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD or ARMD) is a leading cause of blindness and can go undetected for a long time before realizing there is an issue with your vision. ARMD causes blind spots over time, but there is a part of our body working against us becoming aware of the vision loss.
Because ARMD is most commonly developed in the second half of life, your brain develops the ability to compensate for blind spots created by the disease. The brain essentially fills in the gaps real-time so that those who suffer from ARMD are unaware of its effects in the moment.
The central part of the retina, or the macula, is the area most often affected by ARMD. Therefore, those who suffer from the disease lose the ability to clearly see details in their central vision. The mind uses clues from what has been stored over the years to make up for the loss so that patients are unaware of their condition until a much more obvious result occurs.
Unfortunately, people who suffer from Age-Related Macular Degeneration often believe that the issue is a cognitive problem, rather than being related to vision. An ophthalmologist, therefore, is sometimes not considered until other avenues of health care have been exhausted.
This degenerative disease of the retina represents the most common cause of blindness and impaired vision for those age 65 years and older. The threat is greater for women than men and it is one of the few ailments more prevalent in those whose ethnicity is white.
Risk factors also include a family history, cardiovascular disease, smoking, and obesity. Age, however, is the greatest risk to developing AMD. Due to the risk factor of age coupled with the inability to recognize the disease on your own, it is vital that eye screenings increase in frequency as you age.
For those who are enjoying their second half of life in the Upstate area of SC, Palmetto Eye & Laser Center offers a friendly staff and the latest technology to diagnose AMD among other eye-related health issues. Contact Palmetto Eye & Laser Center using our online contact form to begin scheduling your vision screening today.
