How Can I Prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) ?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

You can lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by living a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, avoiding smoking, and protecting your eyes from too much sunlight. For those with early changes, antioxidant vitamins and minerals may help slow the disease’s progression.

Explanation

To help prevent AMD, it is important to focus on healthy daily habits. First, eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish can support eye health. These foods provide antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, along with minerals like zinc that may help protect your eyes. Avoiding smoking is crucial because smoking has been linked to an increased risk of AMD. Staying active with regular exercise also plays a role in maintaining your overall health. In addition, protecting your eyes by wearing sunglasses and a hat when outdoors can help shield them from harmful ultraviolet light. For those who already have early signs of AMD, some research suggests that taking antioxidant vitamins and mineral supplements might slow down the progression of the condition. Lastly, regular eye check-ups are important so that any changes in your vision can be detected early and managed promptly.

(References)

Singh N, Srinivasan S, Muralidharan V, Roy R, V J, Raman R. Prevention of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2017 Nov-Dec;6(6):520-526. doi: 10.22608/APO.2017416. PMID: 29204995.
Evans JR, Lawrenson JG. Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements for slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jul 31;7(7):CD000254. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000254.pub4. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Sep 13;9:CD000254. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000254.pub5. PMID: 28756618; PMCID: PMC6483465.
Rein DB, Wittenborn JS, Burke-Conte Z, Gulia R, Robalik T, Ehrlich JR, Lundeen EA, Flaxman AD. Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the US in 2019. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2022 Dec 1;140(12):1202-1208. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.4401. PMID: 36326752; PMCID: PMC9634594.
Evans JR, Lawrenson JG. Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements for slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Sep 13;9(9):CD000254. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000254.pub5. PMID: 37702300; PMCID: PMC10498493.

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