Here's why ignoring that black spot floating in front of your eye could
mean loss of vision
Most of us would be terrified if our eyesight suddenly started to fail
us, which is exactly what's happening to 25 million people worldwide, including
Oscar-winner Dame Judi Dench, according to UN estimates. What starts as the
presence of an annoying black floater in one eye could be a symptom of macular
degeneration (MD). It's essentially a degenerative condition of the macula or
central retina, and is caused by the hardening of arteries that nourish the retina.
This deprives the sensitive retinal tissue of oxygen and nutrients that it
needs to function as a result, central and colour vision, and fine focus
deteriorate.
Symptoms include blurry vision with dark spots, and straight lines that
appear wavy or fuzzy. Over time, the condition can worsen, making driving,
reading and watching television tough.
The types
Most often, macular degeneration comes with growing
old. There are two types of age-related mascular generation (AMD).
Dry AMD: The retina becomes thinner (atrophic), leading to
some patients seeing 'blank' areas in their central vision. Vision loss is not
very severe. While there is no treatment available for dry AMD, various low vision
aids are available to help patients perform daily activities. It progresses
slowly and can go undetected for years.
Wet AMD: Abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula. They
leak fluid and blood, and cause swelling and scar tissue formation, leading to
distorted vision and severe vision loss. This finally disrupts the
photoreceptors (cells that receive the visual images from the lens), leaving
them unable to transmit visual signals to the brain. If you have Wet AMD in one eye, the
chances of it developing in the other rise significantly. Although Wet AMD can
occur spontaneously, it's usually preceded by Dry AMD, which makes regular
check-ups especially important. Even if your vision seems fine, going for a
bi-annual eye test is important, as it can detect early changes. Even at its
worst, AMD isn't all gloom. "It does not lead to complete blindness because
the disease does not affect the entire retina, just the central macula.
Treatment
Antioxidants and multivitamin capsules may have a role in decreasing the
speed of its progression, in case of Dry AMD. For wet AMD, laser can be used to
burn the abnormal blood vessels and thus stops the leakage.
There's also growing evidence that you can decrease your risk of
developing MD, or slow down its progress. Here's how:
Stay slim
Research suggests that obesity increases both, the
risk of developing MD and its speed and progression. Losing weight has the
extra benefit of helping lower blood pressure, which is another MD risk factor.
Eat your greens and oily fish
Higher levels of dietary lutein and zeaxanthin —
found in high concentrations in the macula of the eye — seem to offer
protection against MD. Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach are the best
sources, and the Macular Disease Society recommends eating two to four servings
of these a week. Team with two weekly portions of omega 3-rich oily fish, such
as mackerel (bangda) or salmon.
Quit smoking
Smokers are three times more likely to develop.
Take this home test
- To test yourself at home, you can use an Amsler
grid (right). Hold it at a comfortable reading distance.
- Cover one eye (wear glasses as required). Focus on the dot in the
center of the grid.
- Check for lines that appear wavy, blurred or distorted. (Normally, all
lines appear straight, all lines cross each other at right angles and all
squares are of the same size).
- Check for any missing a(light) or dark areas in the grid.
- Do you see all the corners of the grid?
- Repeat the test on the other eye.
Times of India
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