spread interest in popularity of anti-oxidants these days.
....So, back to AMD. There are two types of AMD, the dry form and wet form. In the dry form, which is much more common than the wet form, breakdown products of oxidation build up under the macula and produce junky deposits known as “drusen” (hey, don’t blame me for this one; rather, blame the Germans, because “drusen” is actually a German word). Drusen deposits dry the macula and heap it up, which then disrupts the macula’s ability to see a clear image. The more drusen that builds up, the greater the degree of deleterious changes to the macula, but a lot also depends on where the drusen are located, so some people with significant drusen deposits continue to see very well while others with only minimal drusen build-up see very poorly.
....Still with me? Good because there’s just a wee bit more technical stuff.
In the wet form of AMD (about 10 % of all AMD), in an attempt to heal itself, the body produces new blood vessels in the retina and macula. Unfortunately, these new, thin blood vessels tend to leak, leading to scarring of the macula and permanent vision loss, occasionally very quickly.
....So what raises your risk of AMD? Genes certainly play a role, so if AMD is in your family, you’re at higher risk yourself. That risk factor – your genetic profile – is, of course, out of your control (it’s too late to change your parents, I’m afraid, no matter how much some of us might like to do that). What you can control, however, are your lifestyle associated risk factors. Of the usual suspects – obesity, high blood pressure, exposure to excess sunlight (maybe), the two that stand out for me as vital and controllable are: smoking and anti-oxidant intake. Quite simply, the more you smoke, the higher your risk of AMD, so, if you smoke and you needed yet another reason to quit, here it is.
....As for anti-oxidants (and if you don’t know what anti-oxidants are or why they matter, hey, it’s time you bought yourself a copy – or two or three - of that great, self-help best-selling health manual, Dr. Art Hister’s Guide to a Longer and Healthier Life), two recent studies have determined that first, a diet high in anti-oxidants prevents the onset of AMD, and equally important, a high anti-oxidant intake also lowers the chance that moderate AMD will progress to a more severe form (see below).
....How do you know if you have AMD? Symptoms vary, of course, according to the severity and type of |
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