What is the Cause of Macular Degeneration?
 Custom Search There is no one cause of macular degeneration, but rather many factors that contribute to the development of age related macular degeneration (AMD). Macular Degeneration Risk FactorsLet's look at some of them and see how they can contribute to your eye health, or lack of.But before we look at the list, it may be helpful to understand, that the health of the eye is an indicator of what is going on in the rest of your body. Often problems in the rest of your body can be prevented, when an early eye problem has been identified. Conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure are often first discovered during an eye exam.
1. SmokingIf we were to name the number one preventable cause of macular degeneration it would be smoking.
Smoking increases the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by nearly 50 percent, reveals a recent analysis of about 3,500 Beaver Dam, Wis. residents undergoing eye-related studies since 1987. The finding was reported in the January 2008 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.
Study results also show that, of people who have
macular degeneration,
smokers on average were more likely to develop the eye disease at a younger age:
* Current smokers (69.2 years) * Former smokers (72.3 years) * Non-smokers who have never smoked (74.4 years)
Smoking
causes damage to the retina in many ways. To read more about this cause of macular degeneration:
Macular Degeneration Smoking
2. High Blood Pressure
The blood vessels that supply blood to your eyes, and in particular, the retina are very small and delicate. Like other blood vessels, they are damaged by high blood pressure. This can result in the blood vessels leaking which leads to fluid building up in the
choroid
, a layer of blood vessels that lie under the retina.
High blood pressure may be more of a significant risk factor for developing
wet age related macular degeneration
according to the Age Related Macular Degeneration Risk Factors Study Group. To learn more about what is high blood pressure and how to lower it click here:
Blood Pressure Readings
3. Medications
There are certain medications that may have adverse effects on the eye. In the book The First Year - Age Related Macular Degeneration by Daniel L. Roberts, there is an entire appendix listing these different prescription medications and their side effects. For more about this book click here:
Macular Degeneration Book
4. Family HistoryMacular Degeneration runs in families. My husband's father and all of his siblings have AMD. This awareness is helpful to me as a wife and a R.N. to begin now to protect the eyes of my husband and to be proactive in trying to prevent it - for him and our adult children. Click here to read more about family history and macular degeneration: Family History5. Sunlight
Surprisingly, not all studies confirm that ultraviolet light is a risk factor for macular degeneration. However bluelight has been shown to cause damage to our retinas and is one of the causes of macular degeneration.
Wearing
sunglasses
may be one of the best and easiest ways to protect your eyes. To read more about sunglasses and the damaging effects of blue light click here:
Sunglasses
6. Blue LightBlue light is especially damaging to the retina. Blue light waves are wavelengths from 400-500 nanometers and are the waves that give the sky its blue color. Blue blocker sunglasses protect the retina from the damaging effects of blue light. Glasses that are tinted orange or amber block blue light. To learn more about Blue Blocker Sunglasses click here: Blue Blocker Sunglasses7. Poor Diet
A diet low in dark green leafy vegetables and
omega-3 fatty acids
and too high in omega-6 fatty acids increases your risk of
AMD
and can be a cause of macular degeneration. To read more a macular degeneration diet click here:
Macular Degeneration Diet
8. Cataract SurgeryYou may know someone who had macular degeneration and after they had cataract surgery, their AMD got worse. There is anecdotal evidence that this may happen, and it makes it more difficult to decide whether or not to have cataract surgery if you have AMD. To read more about catarct surgery and AMD click here: Cataract Surgery9. Exposure to Pesticides, Car Exhaust & Household Cleaners
Most of you have heard the term "free radicals." And you may also know that free radicals cause damage to our bodies.
Well, when we are exposed to toxins in our environment - the air we breathe, the water we drink or the food we eat - our body produces free radicals. These free radicals then cause damage to our bodies and to our eyes as well. To read more about this cause of macular degeneration click here:
Antioxidants and Free Radical Damage
Contact Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
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