I'm at Risk for Macular Degeneration — What Should I Do?

One eye condition affects about 20 million Americans and is a leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60. It’s macular degeneration. 

If you have any heightened risk of this condition, it’s particularly important to be proactive about protecting your vision. If you are over 55, have a family history of this eye issue, are a smoker, are overweight, have high blood pressure, or are white, that applies to you. 

At our office in Aiea, Hawaii, Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates can help you lower your risk for macular degeneration by screening for it regularly and treating it if it does arise. Using our expertise in eye diseases, our team comes alongside you to help preserve your vision through the years. 

That means taking a few specific steps to mitigate your extra risk for macular degeneration. 

The most important step: regular eye doctor appointments

Your macula sits at the back of your eye, helping it to process what it sees. Macular degeneration develops when protein buildup (dry macular degeneration) or abnormal blood vessels (wet macular degeneration) interferes with the macula’s function. 

Dry macular degeneration — which makes up 90% of cases — moves through three stages:

• Early, which doesn’t affect your vision
• Intermediate, which causes blurring in your central vision
• Late, which means your central vision is completely impaired

While you can’t tell if you have early-stage macular degeneration, Dr. Endo can spot early changes in your macula. There’s no cure for it, but early treatment can slow macular degeneration’s progression, protecting your ability to see through the years. 

Talk with Dr. Endo about the right eye exam schedule for you. With a heightened risk for this condition, Dr. Endo might recommend annual visits, for example. 

Other macular degeneration prevention tips

A healthy lifestyle lowers your risk for macular degeneration and can slow its progression if it does develop. As a result, Dr. Endo and our team recommend:

• A healthy diet
• Regular physical exercise
• Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Avoiding smoking, or quitting if you’ve already started

Here at our office, Dr. Endo and our team offer good health and nutrition counseling. We can help you ensure you’re getting the nutrients your eyes need, like zinc and vitamins C and E. Dr. Endo may also recommend nutraceuticals to protect your eyes. 

All told, if you’re at risk for macular degeneration, there’s a lot you can do to help protect your central vision. Our team makes that as easy as possible for you. To get started with a personalized schedule for eye exams and support for your healthy lifestyle, call us or book an appointment online today.