One of the most annoying things about growing older is that the body starts to wear out. Knees and hips have to be replaced. Hearing aids and prescription glasses become necessary accessories. Sometimes seniors have vision problems eyeglasses won't fix. The macular degeneration Washington DC senior suffer is one of them. Also referred to as ARMD, this condition involves the area of retinas that affect the sharpness of a person's vision. When it degenerates, reading, driving, watching television, and working on a computer are no longer options.
The disease will take one of two forms, either wet or dry. Of these two, dry ARMD is much more prevalent. Wet ARMD is much more severe and will lead to serious loss of vision. Dry ARMD is the earlier stage of this disease. The loss of eyesight is usually gradual. It may degenerate into what is called geographic atrophy. That can cause severe loss of vision. Symptoms of ARMD include distortions, fuzziness, and shadowed areas in an individual's line of vision.
The loss of one's eyesight is a scary proposition. Everyone is concerned about what causes this disease, and what can be done to prevent it. The experts believe age is the highest risk factor, but there are other possibilities as well. Those most at risk are Caucasian women, the obese, and smokers. It seems to be hereditary as well.
Smokers are at especially high risk to get the disease. Studies show that individuals who use tobacco are twenty-five percent more likely to get ARMD. It is risky to live with someone who smokes. Living with a smoker makes you two times more likely to get ARMD as those who cohabit with non-smokers.
Two other factors, and ones you can't do anything about, are heredity and eye color. Twins often share this disease. The lighter the color of your eyes, the more likely you are to develop ARMD. People with darker eye coloring have extra pigment that some researchers believe helps protect them from sun exposure. So far the evidence is inconclusive on this theory.
There are drugs thought to cause ARMD as a side effect. Anti-malarial drugs are among them. Thorazine, which is an anti-psychotic drug, is also included. Doctors also prescribe thorazine for vomiting, nausea, and excessive hiccuping. The risk associated with heredity and drugs is not as well understood as the risks posed by aging and smoking.
ARMD has no cure. The most medical professionals can do is attempt to slow the progress of ARMD and try to prevent the dry form from turning into the wet form. It is believed that diet plays a factor in preventing the disease.
Food that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cold water fish like salmon, is being researched by the scientific community for its effectiveness in preventing ARMD. Until there is a cure, seniors should consider eating an omega-3 rich diet and get plenty of exercise, Tobacco must be avoided at all costs. Seniors who are still smoking must quit the habit immediately.
The disease will take one of two forms, either wet or dry. Of these two, dry ARMD is much more prevalent. Wet ARMD is much more severe and will lead to serious loss of vision. Dry ARMD is the earlier stage of this disease. The loss of eyesight is usually gradual. It may degenerate into what is called geographic atrophy. That can cause severe loss of vision. Symptoms of ARMD include distortions, fuzziness, and shadowed areas in an individual's line of vision.
The loss of one's eyesight is a scary proposition. Everyone is concerned about what causes this disease, and what can be done to prevent it. The experts believe age is the highest risk factor, but there are other possibilities as well. Those most at risk are Caucasian women, the obese, and smokers. It seems to be hereditary as well.
Smokers are at especially high risk to get the disease. Studies show that individuals who use tobacco are twenty-five percent more likely to get ARMD. It is risky to live with someone who smokes. Living with a smoker makes you two times more likely to get ARMD as those who cohabit with non-smokers.
Two other factors, and ones you can't do anything about, are heredity and eye color. Twins often share this disease. The lighter the color of your eyes, the more likely you are to develop ARMD. People with darker eye coloring have extra pigment that some researchers believe helps protect them from sun exposure. So far the evidence is inconclusive on this theory.
There are drugs thought to cause ARMD as a side effect. Anti-malarial drugs are among them. Thorazine, which is an anti-psychotic drug, is also included. Doctors also prescribe thorazine for vomiting, nausea, and excessive hiccuping. The risk associated with heredity and drugs is not as well understood as the risks posed by aging and smoking.
ARMD has no cure. The most medical professionals can do is attempt to slow the progress of ARMD and try to prevent the dry form from turning into the wet form. It is believed that diet plays a factor in preventing the disease.
Food that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cold water fish like salmon, is being researched by the scientific community for its effectiveness in preventing ARMD. Until there is a cure, seniors should consider eating an omega-3 rich diet and get plenty of exercise, Tobacco must be avoided at all costs. Seniors who are still smoking must quit the habit immediately.
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