Macular Degeneration Treatment

Macular Degeneration Treatment

Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 10 million Americans – more than cataracts and glaucoma combined!  Macular Degeneration refers to a degeneration of the centra part of the retina, called the macula. The macula is responsible for focusing the light received by the eye into a central area and sends that image up the optic nerve to the brain, which interprets the image. Importantly it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail.

There are 2 forms of macular degeneration

1. Dry Macular Degeneration –  toxic byproducts accumulate in the Bruch’s membrane, forming yellow spots, called drusen. The pigment layer can also erode, making it hard for the body to clear this material from the eye. Light-sensitive cells of the macula slowly break down. This is the most common type, accounting for 90 percent of diagnosed cases.
2. Wet Macular Degeneration  – blood vessels invade the retina and begin bleeding, causing sudden vision loss. About 10 percent of cases, but results in 90 percent of legal blindness. It is considered advanced macular degeneration

Macular Degeneration Facts

• Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss in adults over 60
• Macular degeneration could be preventable through an antioxidant-rich diet
• 11 million people in the U.S. have some form of age-related macular degeneration. This is expected to double to nearly 22 million by 2050.
• The worldwide number of people living with macular degeneration is expected to reach 196 million by 2020
• The risk of getting age-related macular degeneration increases from 2% for those ages 50-59, to nearly 30% for those over the age of 75.

Symptoms of Macular Degeneration

• gradual or sudden change in the quality of your vision
• straight lines appearing distorted
• reduced central vision in one or both eyes
• the need for brighter light when reading or doing close work
• difficulty adapting to low light levels
• dark, blurry areas or whiteout that appears in the center of your vision
• Increased blurriness of printed words
• Decreased intensity or brightness of colors
• Difficulty recognizing faces
• change in your perception of color

Common Causes for Macular Degeneration

Current research indicates macular degeneration may be related to a combination of factors, such as:

• environmental toxins
• poor diet
• poor digestion
• nutritional deficiencies
• lack of omega-3 fatty acid, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
• free radical damage
• low levels of antioxidants
• obesity
• cardiovascular disease

Things You Can Do for Macular Degeneration

There are a number of things you can do for yourself to start working on improving your eye health.  We recommend checking with your doctor before implementing any of these ideas.

• Get routine eye exams
• Manage any other health condition you have, ideally using no drugs or prescriptions (see a natural health doctor to help with this)
• Avoid smoking
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Avoid foods that rapidly raise blood sugar (low-quality carbs)
• Avoid sources of blue light (screens, computers, TVs) Wear blue light blocking glasses if you’re at high risk.
• Eat a healthy diet rich in green, leafy vegetables
• Eat cold-water fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
• Eat a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables
• Protect eyes from overexposure to sunlight with sunglasses and hats
• Supplement with a high-quality multivitamin,  beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, Zinc, DHA & Lutein
• Drink green tea – it contains polyphenols, which are an excellent class of antioxidants

Natural Macular Degeneration Treatment

If you still have vision issues despite having been under treatment by conventional doctors or if you are having vision loss issues or think you might be at risk for macular degeneration, you owe it to yourself to see a doctor experienced in treating macular degeneration.

Or, if you have a confirmed diagnosis of macular degeneration already and are not happy with what conventional doctors can offer, you should consider talking with us. We’re natural health and functional medicine experts. We use the latest in cutting-edge, non-invasive treatments and all-natural approaches. These approaches can be highly effective in treating not only macular degeneration but a wide variety of health conditions.

We have patients travel from all over the world to our offices in Clearwater, FL where we offer the widest range of natural health treatments available in the U.S.

Call (727) 466-6789 today and speak with one of our knowledgable patient coordinators who can answer questions and help figure out your next step. Or feel free to submit an online inquiry.