Eye On Vision Foundation

Migraines are thought to be caused by the dilation and constriction of arteries in the head. These can be extremely painful headaches. The pain is often limited to one side of the head, and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Most often, visual migraine, just like regular migraine headaches, can be brought about by stress, fatigue and changing estrogen levels. It occurs more often in females and more often during adolescence and menopause. On rare occasions these visual attacks are associated with other more serious problems.

Age-related Macular Degeneration or AMD is a common eye disease that causes progressive damage to the central part of the retina, also known as the Macula. AMD is the leading cause of visual impairment in the United States, and blindness in senior citizens of America, aged 65 and older.

As people age, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which supplies nutrients from the choroid (layer of blood vessels that nourishes the cones and rods of the retina) to the retina and helps remove waste products, may deteriorate. This results in the formation of waste deposits and the light-sensitive cells of the macula may be damaged due to lack of nutrients. The normal signals sent through the optic nerve to the brain by these cells become disrupted and the vision becomes blurred.

Unfortunately, there are not any known ways to completely prevent age related macular degeneration. That said, there are many ways that you lower your risk. These tips have been known to help those who were genetically pre-disposed to macular degeneration. Below are some secrets in lowering your risks before it is too late.

Get your eyes examined early. Regular eye exams are critical in determining if you are at risk for developing macular degeneration or not. If you are pre-disposed genetically, you should make sure to schedule annual exams. This will help prevent potential eye loss later. It could also delay loss of vision of the doctors can detect it early on.

Quit smoking. It is a known fact that those who smoke are up to 2 times more likely to have macular degeneration. The earlier you quit the lower the risk. Eat well. By modifying your diet to eat more nuts and fruit can help you lower your odds of getting macular degeneration. If you are allergic to nuts, you can take vitamins or supplements that are rich in omega-3’s as well as vitamin A and luteins. If you are already suffering from dry macular degeneration, there are measure you can take to prevent it from advancing. Some of these are:

Eat your spinach. By modifying your diet to eat more dark green vegetables you can actually slow the progression and further vision loss. Your doctor may also want you to take vitamins and supplements.

Exercise. By maintaining a healthy weight you will also lower your risk in getting more advanced forms of AMD.