AMD and Eye Care
July 3rd, 2010 | 
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How much you know about the care of your eyes? Like that like other parts of the body’s eyes need to prevent many diseases such as conjunctivitis, cataracts, glaucoma, myopia, problems with the layer of light-sensitive tissue; related macular degeneration with age (AMD ), among others.
Eye diseases are annoying and may even cause serious disruption to those who suffer. But many of them can be effectively treated, while others such as AMD, may delay its appearance.
In an interview Dr. Mario Mercado, cornea specialist, said the Macular Degeneration Age-related (AMD) is a degenerative disease of the central area of the retina called the macula, the part of the eye responsible for visual acuity is required for any activity that requires seeing things in some detail, such as reading or driving. “The cells of the retina, the nervous system be not be reproduced, does not regenerate,” said Dr. Mercado.
“About AMD is poorly understood, for example in Mexico, is currently the second leading cause of blindness, we must begin to create awareness about this disease that mainly affects people aged 60 has recently been discovered that appears in maculopathy younger people, starting from 50 years of age, is a disease that many people do not know exists, “said Mario Mercado ophthalmologist.
WHO data, say that 150 million people worldwide suffer from the Macular Degeneration Age-Related. Reason enough to start to prevent this disease, since age, along with the bad habits and other diseases are risk factors.
Although it is known that the familial predisposition – genetic factors – are “essential” in the development of this disease is no less true that “some external factors such as snuff or modified diet are responsible for people predisposed to get or not AMD to develop. ”
In addition to the ultraviolet rays that are toxic to the eyes. Food is a factor that can act both as protective and risk in the development of certain eye diseases such as AMD. In connection with this disease, has increased the use of antioxidants and multivitamins, since a study showed that using high doses of vitamins and minerals may slow the progression of AMD.
Ensure a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, oily fish and oils such as olive and soybean, along with the daily practice of exercise and the abandonment of snuff, is a healthy lifestyle and ideal for the prevention of AMD.
Similarly, administration of nutritional supplements with vitamin C, E, zinc, lutein and omega-3 fatty acids is being studied in a new phase of the AREDS study, as it tries to find a new formulation that enhances a protective effect diet.
But the doctor, calls for special care to prevent abuse of the intake of these vitamins, “many people abuse them,” he says.
“These days there are already several treatments for AMD, the schools only have the capacity to stop it. In Mexico already has the first dietary supplement, Drusen Laz, with associations that protect and prevent AMD. “The most common cause of blindness in people over 55 years. The prevalence increases with age older than 75 years represents about 42%. According to a doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Salamanca.
The nutritional supplement with the ideal combination of carotenoids and antioxidants, protects the retina of photoinduced damage. Improves visual function parameters. And it offers a safety profile similar to placebo, even in smokers.
The supplement has proven clinical efficacy on visual function in patients with AMD, after continuous treatment with the association carotenoids / antioxidants. Shown improvement and stabilization of the main parameters of visual function. Increase in macular pigment density (Raman spectroscopy). And improvement in central retinal function (ERGmf *).
Moreover, the lack of macular pigment is associated with increased risk factors for AMD. But the intake of lutein and zeaxanthin is associated with a moderately lower risk of AMD.
What to do?
Your best defense is to have regular checkups, because eye diseases do not always have symptoms. Early detection and early treatment can prevent blindness. If you experience sudden changes in vision, vision is blurred or see flashing lights, promptly seek the help of a trained professional eye care. Other symptoms requiring prompt attention are pain, double vision, runny liquid in the eye and swelling.
It is of utmost importance that people over 60 years detected something strange in your vision, come immediately to a retinal specialist ophthalmologist.