Age-Related Macular Degeneration | Nashville Healthcare Center

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition that causes central vision loss. AMD typically strikes in older age. Some factors that increase your risk of AMD, such as genetics and age, are beyond your control. Focus on the factors you can control to increase your odds of having good vision and healthy eyes in old age.

Below are some tips to lower your AMD risk.

Stop Smoking

Smoking increases your risk of AMD in several ways. For example:

• Tobacco contains dangerous chemicals that enter your bloodstream and damage the retina
• Cigarette smoke reduces blood flow to the eyes
• Cigarette some irritates eye tissues and triggers their inflammation

The more you smoke, the higher its effects on your health. Those who live or stay near smokers also suffer the consequences of secondhand smoke. Luckily, you can reduce your risk of AMD if you quit smoking.

Control Alcohol Intake

Alcohol has both positive and negative effects on your visual health. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, low alcohol intake (especially wine) lowers your risk of AMD. On the other hand, excessive alcohol intake significantly increases AMD's risk.

Considering these studies, moderate your alcohol intake to reduce your risk of AMD. Especially limit beer intake, which has a particularly strong association with AMD risk.

Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases attack the heart and blood vessels. Examples include heart diseases, high blood pressure, and stroke. Various cardiovascular diseases affect your risk of AMD. Cardiovascular diseases matter since they affect blood flow and oxygen transport to the eyes.

Prevent cardiovascular diseases and lower your AMD risk with these tips:

• Get regular physical exercise.
• Maintain a healthy diet.
• Get adequate and quality sleep.
• Manage stress.

Get regular medical checkups that include cardiovascular health monitoring. Your doctor can administer relevant interventions if they notice emerging cardiovascular issues, such as elevated blood pressure.

Protect Your Eyes

Anything that damages your eye tissues increases your risk of AMD. For example, ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun damage your visual tissues. Do not spend too much time in the sun if possible. Use relevant eye protection if you cannot avoid being outdoors when the sun is up. For example, you should:

• Use glasses that block UV rays from the sun
• Reduce sunlight exposure with an umbrella
• Shade your eyes with a wide-brimmed hat

Remember to protect other parts of the body with sunscreen since sun rays increase your risk of skin cancer.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Diet plays a significant role in physical health, including visual health. For one, good nutrition helps to control many lifestyle diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, that increase your risk of AMD. Secondly, your eye tissues need nutrients to stay healthy. Lastly, your diet affects your immune system, and strong immunity is good for all body systems, including the eye.

For example, diets rich in leafy green vegetables and fish increase reduce AMD risk. You can even use dietary supplements alongside the nutrients you get from everyday food.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

A link exists between unhealthy weight and high AMD risk. Balance your calorific intake and expenditure to maintain a healthy weight. A high body mass index (BMI) affects multiple aspects of your health, so the benefits of maintaining a healthy BMI are enormous. 

Hopefully, the tips above will help you maintain good vision into your golden years. However, the factors beyond your control can still affect your eyes and trigger AMD. Luckily, Nashville Healthcare Center offers vision and eye health as part of its health services. Contact us for a consultation to diagnose and treat your eye problems. We look forward to helping you.