What You Should Know About Preventing And Delaying Macular Degeneration

One of the most prevalent eye disorders in the United States today is a condition known as macular degeneration. However, many people do not know much about this common eye problem, let alone what they could be doing to prevent it or delay its effects and progression. In order to ensure that you take the best possible care of your eyes and vision now and in the future as your eyes age, get to know some of the ways that you may be able to prevent and delay the progress of macular degeneration.

Get Yearly Eye Exams

One of the best ways that you can care for your eyes is to get eye exams every year. When an optometrist performs an eye exam, they will be checking for any changes in the quality of your vision, and will take a close look at the structure of your eyes.

The macula is the central portion of your retina that is important to your vision. When your optometrist examines your eye up close, they will be able to see if there are any cellular problems with your macula or if it has changed in any way since your last exam.

Getting these exams every year will help to ensure that if you do develop macular degeneration, it will be detected as early as possible. Early detection is important in treatment. There is no cure for macular degeneration, but there are treatments that can delay the progress and keep your vision intact longer.

Focus On Your Cardiovascular Health

Eye doctors note that there is a significant link between cardiovascular health and eye health. As such, taking proper care of your cardiovascular health can help to keep macular degeneration at bay for as long as possible.

One such method of caring for your heart health is to avoid smoking. If you are already a smoker, now would be a good time to quit as smoking causes vascular constriction and can reduce the blood flow to your eyes.

Also, you should eat a balanced diet with heart-healthy foods. Carrots, leafy greens, and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and flax seeds are all excellent food choices to incorporate into your diet. They are rich in vitamins and nutrients like vitamin A and, of course, omega-3s.

Now that you have a few ideas of how to prevent and delay the progress of macular degeneration, you can take the steps necessary to protect your eyes. Keep in mind that eye doctors are always striving to find new ways to prevent and treat such incurable eye disorders and new prevention techniques may soon come to light. So, do what you can and keep an eye out for new prevention techniques in the near future.


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