Macular Degeneration Awareness Week
19-25 September 2009.
PaT – Protect and Test - Your Eyes
Protect And Test – the key to minimising your risk of sight loss caused by Macular Degeneration (MD), the most common cause of blindness in the UK
Most of us take our eyes for granted. But what would you do if you lost some or most of your vision? Working, driving, reading, cooking, getting around by yourself and paying for your shopping, becomes a major challenge. Having poor sight means could lose your income, home, independence and favourite hobbies – it is an isolating and frightening experience.
By far the most common cause of sight loss in the UK is macular degeneration (MD), which occurs when cells at the back of the eye are destroyed. Around half a million people in the UK, most of who previously had normal sight, are living with vision loss due to MD.
Although there are treatment options for some MD patients, preventing the condition from occurring in the first place is the best way to ensure long term good vision.
The good news is that there is a lot you can do to minimise your risk of MD robbing you of your sight.
STEP ONE - PROTECT
The progress of MD can be slowed by taking preventative measures with a healthy lifestyle.
Protecting your eyes means taking the same simple steps that will also safeguard your general health. You may already follow some of the advice but now you know that it is also important for preventing sight loss you can be even more committed to following these healthy eye habits:
Stop smoking – did you know that cigarettes more than double the risk of MD?
• Call Quitline 0800 00 22 00.
Take care in the Sun – we are all aware that ultra violet rays, or blue light, from the sun are a skin cancer risk but did you know the sun also contributes to MD?
• Wear sunglasses on sunny days - Too much sun can damage the cells of the macula; people
•
• e with light coloured eyes are more prone to macular degeneration.
• Wear a wide brimmed hat to shade your eyes.
Eat a Healthy Diet – experts worldwide recommend the 5-a-Day target for vegetables and fruitThey help ensure we get enough antioxidant nutrients because they combat heart disease and cancer but did you know antioxidants also protect against MD?
• Eat 5-a-Day – vegetables containing lutein and zeaxanthin, two types of antioxidant carotenoids, are associated with reduced MD risk. These include carrots, broccoli, kale, corn, peas and tomatoes. Antioxidants help stop free radical cells damaging the macula. Free radicals are a natural by-product of body processes such as breathing and digestion. Everyone produces them, but the more unhealthy your lifestyle is, the more you produce and the more damage is done.
• Limit alcohol intake – stick to the “safe” number of alcohol units a week: 21 for women; 28 for men, with some alcohol-free days, because alcohol increases free radical production.
• Get enough Omega 3 fats - these unsaturated fatty acids are found in oily fish and some plant foods such as walnuts and linseed. They help prevent heart disease and are essential in pregnancy if babies are to develop healthy brains and eyes but did you know Omega 3s also protect against MD?
• Eat fish twice a week, with one portion being oily fish (salmon, mackerel, herring) for its Omega 3 content. Replace saturated fat in your diet with unsaturated fats such as olive oil and spreads rich polyunsaturates.
Be physically active – taking exercise is vital to reduce your risk of heat disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes but did you know that by improving your cardiovascular health you are also reducing your risk of MD?
• Take 30 minutes moderate activity daily such as brisk walking, or exercise of your choice, but if your job or lifestyle are sedentary, then 60 minutes a day is recommended. Exercise reduces blood cholesterol levels and the risk of atherosclerosis (deposits of ‘bad’ cholesterol and fatty plaque) in your arteries that increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. The macula in your eyes is also supplied by blood vessels that need to be as healthy as those supplying your heart and brain.
STEP TWO – TEST
There are two main types of MD, Wet and Dry. Quick action is essential for people with Wet MD – but many people with MD in one eye just don’t notice for a long time as their other eye compensates. A simple test you can do yourself at home means faster and more effective treatment - and more vision saved.
One of the first signs of MD of both types is distortions in vision – for example, seeing straight lines as wavy. But often, the distortions can only be seen if the good eye is covered over, so people with MD are often not diagnosed until the degeneration has progressed for many months.
It is important to test your vision regularly. Have regular sight and eye health tests with your optician, at least once every two years.
You can also use the Amsler Grid (below) at home to monitor any changes or distortions and report them to your optometrist at the opticians or to an eye doctor who can make a more thorough examination of your eyes.
How to use the Amsler Grid.
Cut it out and put the chart in a place you’re likely to see it often so you’ll remind yourself to test your eyes regularly – stick it to the fridge or noticeboard.
Hold the grid at eye level at your normal reading distance wearing your usual reading glasses. Cover one eye at a time and focus on the central dot. If any of the lines on the chart appear wavy, broken or distorted or if you see blurred or missing areas of vision you should contact your optometrist at the opticians or an eye doctor in hospital immediately.
Remember, quick action is vital.
For more advice and information, please telephone The Macular Disease Society’s Helpline on 0845 241 2041.
SOURCES:
MACULAR DISEASE SOCIETY
Preventative measures section
http://www.maculardisease.org/template.asp?section="000500030003"
What is MD and Amsler Grid section
http://www.maculardisease.org/template.asp?section="000500030002/"
NHS choices
About Macular conditions
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/macular-degeneration/Pages/Introduction.aspx
About eye tests
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1093.aspx
FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY, HEALTHY DIET
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/
BRITISH DIETETIC ASSOCIATION,
FoodFacts: Benefits of omega 3 and antioxidants from Food Fact sheet index on
http://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/
EXERCISE RECOMMENDATIONS
NHS Choices
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Exercise/Pages/Recommendations.aspx
http://www.nhs24.com/content/default.asp?page="s5_4&articleID=456§ionID=36"
Dept of Health’s programme Change4Life, 60 active minutes
http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/default.aspx
MEDLINE PLUS, Dept of Health: Be Active Your Way: A guide for Adultshttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseandphysicalfitness.html
ends