What is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration, also known as age related macular degeneration, is the leading cause of legal blindness in Australia, responsible for 50% of all cases of blindness. It is possible to reduce the risk of losing sight from macular degeneration by adopting a healthy lifestyle and regularly having your eyes tested and macula checked by one of our skilled optometrists.
If you’re over 50 you are at higher risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). If you have a direct family member (parent or sibling) who has been diagnosed with AMD, you have a 50% increased risk of diagnosis. Smokers are at three to four times’ higher risk of AMD than non-smokers. Everyone with diabetes is at risk of vision loss through diabetic eye disease.
With regular eye examinations with us you can help minimise your risk of vision loss from macular disease, whether you have been diagnosed with the disease or not.
How many of these can you tick off?
□ I don’t smoke
□ I eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
□ I eat dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit daily
□ I eat fish two to three times a week
□ I choose low glycaemic index (low GI) carbohydrates instead of high GI
□ I eat a handful of nuts a week
□ I limit the intake of fats and oils
□ I keep a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly
□ I have a regular comprehensive eye test and macula check
If you ticked all nine healthy habits – well done! If you didn’t tick all the boxes, it just means now is the time to make changes to reduce your risk or delay progression of macular disease. We know that it can be hard to keep track of your eye health, luckily at Beckenham Optometrist we have the resources and qualifications to look after your eyes.
