Treatment And Management Options For Macular Degeneration Symptoms

Macular Degeneration symptoms come from a debilitating disease that usually affects the macula or central vision of ageing people that is why it is also called Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). So if you are on your 50’s and 60’s you may be suffering from macular degeneration and may not know of it.

Early macular degeneration symptoms include color blindness, wavy appearance of a supposedly straight line, a bothersome fog like appearance in the center of your visual field, difficulty in reading and writing due to blurredness and difficulty identifying shapes.

If you have been suffering from these symptoms for some time now, you may already be suffering from the early signs of macular degeneration.

The bad news for sufferers of macular degeneration symptoms is that it has no cure, yes you read it right – it does not have any cure. But, there are treatment and management options you can do to delay its progression.

Options to Prevent and Delay Macular Degeneration Symptoms

Diet and Nutrition

Certain diet and nutritional deficiencies may advance the progression of macular degeneration symptoms. Low fat or no fat diets may become the culprits, while it is true that elderly people should stay away from them doesn’t mean all. There are foods with essential fatty acids that may be lacking in your diet. It is important therefore to be aware what foods are rich in essential fatty acids.

Deficiencies in vitamin B complex, Taurine, Zeanthin, Lutein, Selenium and Zinc may also speed up these symptoms. It is recommended that you seek for quality products and supplements that can provide you with these trace elements. Studies have also shown that supplementation of omega 3 and L carnitine may help progression of your macular degeneration symptoms.

Early Detection

If anyone in your family is known to have macular degeneration, it is important for you to have regular eye checkups starting age 40.

Eye Protection

Over exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays causes macular degeneration symptoms, if you cannot avoid going out on the sun make sure that you wear a good set of eyeglasses to protect your eyes from the ultraviolet rays.

Stop Smoking

Smoking has been known to cause hardening of the blood vessels and because of that poor blood supply in the eye area can contribute to the progression of macular degeneration symptoms.

Treatment Options for Macular Degeneration Symptoms

Although there is no cure for macular degeneration there are treatment options and procedures that can be done to delay progression and prevent severe complications like partial blindness or loss of visual acuity.

Medication

FDA approved medications for macular degeneration symptoms are available and are classified as anti-VEGF medications. Administration of this drug inhibits the growth of abnormal blood vessels that have the tendency to bleed and cause macular degeneration. Examples of anti-VEGF include Lucentis, Visudyne,and Macugen.

Laser Surgery

This will help stop the bleeding in cases of wet macular degeneration. The bleeding which causes the blood clots destroys the nerve fibers and sealing this bleeding will prevent destruction of the healthy nerve cells.

Photodynamic Therapy

This therapy has the same objective of stopping the bleeding that causes destruction of the nerve cells. But, instead of the laser, this procedure makes use of a drug classified as anti-angiogenesis that is injected directly in the retinal region to stop the bleeding.

Vitrectomy

Is a surgical procedure done to remove the gel-like fluid in the eye area that impairs the vision. This surgical procedure is also done to locate and stop the bleeding blood vessels.

Macular degeneration is a slow progressing disease, but if you have the family history and will not take the necessary precaution to prevent it, you may end up having macular degeneration symptoms at an earlier age.

Although there is no cure to macular degeneration, being informed of the preventive options can help reduce the severity if not stop the progression. Your health provider will be in the best position to tell you what treatment options will be indicated or contraindicated for you. If you experience the early macular degeneration symptoms see your health provider immediately.