Macular degeneration is an age related disease that affects the quality of your vision. There are two types: wet macular degeneration and dry macular degeneration. Wet macular degeneration occurs when blood vessels grow just under the eye and leak fluids. Dry macular degeneration happens when the macula, a layer of tissue in the center of the eye, begins to deteriorate. In either case, vision becomes progressively worse, and it may become difficult to perform everyday tasks. There are two different kinds of this eye disease: “wet” and “dry” macular degeneration.

How is it caused? 

It is unknown why certain people experience this disease while others don’t. However, the mechanism of the disease is age. As the eye ages, the tissues naturally become thinner and weaker. The macula begins to break down, and the process becomes more pronounced as an individual continues to age. Eventually, the eye structures can no longer support normal functioning, and the condition of macular degeneration develops.

Can it be prevented?

Taking good care of your overall health as you age is a good way to stave off macular degeneration. Get regular check ups and deal with any health issues that you have. A good picture of overall health will help keep the body’s tissues and structures in good shape. Maintaining a healthy weight and diet can help keep your body healthy and ward off macular degeneration. Smoking should be avoided, as this can speed the process of degeneration.

Visit your eye doctor often. An eye doctor can examine the eye and check for early signs of macular degeneration. This way, you’ll have time to slow the process of degeneration before the condition becomes pronounced. It is also strongly recommended that people wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays from the sun.

There are a number of ways to alter your diet to ward off macular degeneration. Eating foods that are rich in nutrients can help your eyes stay strong. Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids are especially important for good eye health. Foods like fish and nuts are great sources of these fats, and you can feature them in your diet for better eye health.

How does the disease progress?

Once macular degeneration begins, there is no way to stop it outright. However, the response to the disease can help determine how far it progresses. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating a good diet can slow the process of degeneration. The disease may progress very slowly and allow a person to have almost normal eye functioning. But if the disease goes untreated, the eye can degenerate severely so that eye functioning is majorly decreased.

Staying Healthy

Macular degeneration is one of those diseases that can come with age. But those who maintain healthy lifestyles and get regular health check ups are less likely to experience major consequences of this disease. Following your doctor’s advice and making some basic lifestyle adjustments, you can change the trajectory of macular degeneration’s effects on your eyes. There have been some studies that would lead us to believe that grape seed extract can help with eye problems but there is no scientific study to support this.