By Janet Martin
By 2020, as many as 7.5 million people over 65 years of age may suffer from vision loss due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
This grim scenario comes from Drs. Gisele Soubrane of the Clinique Ophthalmologique Universitaire de Creteil in France, and Neil M. Bressler of the Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States in their report published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
"AMD occurs most frequently in people above 50 years of age, with a strong increase in prevalence in people over 65 years of age. This rapid increase in AMD prevalence with age will probably pose a growing health problem for developed countries because of the increasing proportion of the population in older age groups. Data from the United Kingdom have shown that the number of new registrations of blindness due to AMD has increased by 30 - 40 percent in the past 50 years," they warned.
At present, AMD affects 30 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50, according to the AMD Alliance International, a non-profit alliance of international vision and seniors organizations. Its cause is unknown but it appears to be linked to smoking, light skin or eye color, hypertension, coronary artery disease, sun exposure, and a diet low in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
In AMD, the macula - a light-sensitive tissue at the center of the retina that provides clear central vision - is affected. As the disease worsens, central vision is lost causing blindness.
Most people (90 percent) with AMD have the dry form of the disease that causes slow vision loss. The rest (10 percent) have the less common wet form that is characterized by the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the back of the eye that block vision. This causes severe vision loss in only 2 to 3 years.
Fortunately, there is hope for people suffering from the wet form of AMD in the form of a light-activated drug that is injected into the patient's bloodstream. Once it reaches the retina, the drug is activated by photodynamic (PDT) or laser therapy. This produces a clot that closes the abnormal blood vessels without damaging other parts of the eye.
For those who are annoyed by other eye problems like dark circles, puffy or swollen eyes or eye bags, Eyevive is the answer. This cream contains powerful ingredients that help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and other signs of aging. Check out http://www.eyevive.com for more information.
Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com
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Millions Will Go Blind Due To Age-Related Eye Disease
