“It never hurts your eyesight to look on the bright side of things.” (Barbara Johnson)

It is important for everyone to understand that Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is a complicated disease that every human being should be educated about.

1. Macula is a small oval-shaped area at the center of the retina. Light-sensitive cells located there send visual signals to the brain. Sharp, clear vision processed by the macula allows a person to read and drive. Damage to the macula causes blurred or distorted vision with possible loss of central vision.

2. ARMD is a progressive eye disease that causes the breakdown of the macula. It is painless, and almost always develops in both eyes (although one may be more severely affected). The disease usually progresses slowly but is dependent on which of the two types a person has.

· Dry ARMD is the most common type affecting 85-90% of the people with the disease. Small yellowish deposits called drusen start to form, and collect beneath the macula.

As the disease advances, the ability to read, recognize faces, operate a car, and do detailed work becomes more difficult (as the number and size of the drusen grow). A large blurry spot in the central field of vision may appear.

· Wet ARMD caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels under the macula. It occurs in about 10% of the people with macular degeneration. These are very fragile and often leak fluid, which damages the macula (and can cause visual cells to die).

Wet macular degeneration is considered advanced, and severe vision loss can occur rapidly. An early symptom of the wet type of the disease is that straight lines seem wavy or crooked.

3. Macular Pucker is scar tissue that forms over the macula. As the scar tissue grows it pulls on the macula (which causes a wrinkle and blurs central vision). There is a surgical procedure to peel the pucker away from the macula. Plenty of good news exists as it relates to how your food consumption can decrease ARMD.

Research shows that your diet (and medication prescribed by a doctor) can positively affect your eye loss if you have ARMD. Here are the facts:

1. People who eat a diet of fish three times a week, dark green, leafy vegetables, and fruit have a lower incidence of ARMD. (Eat five to nine servings a day.)

2. Antioxidants protect against oxidation, which is a part of the ARMD process. Dark green leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, mustard and collard greens, which contain high levels of lutein (a critical antioxidant).

3. Antioxidants are also present in fruits and vegetables with bright colors. This includes red grapes, peppers, corn, oranges, cantaloupe, and mangos.

4. Fish contains omega-3, which is a critical nutrient for the heart and eyes. The best fish to consume is wild salmon or sardines. If you cannot tolerate fish (or obtain it easily), omega-3 supplements/fish oil capsules (1000mg) is another option.

5. If you do not eat enough of the above, a daily multi-vitamin with the following ingredients may be helpful in slowing down the effects of ARMD: 6-10 mg of Lutein, 500 mg of Vitamin C, 200 – 400 IU of Vitamin E, 1000 – 2000 IU of Vitamin D3, 1000 – 2000 IU of Zeaxanthin, 2 mg, and 20 – 80 mg of Zinc.

6. People who eat a great deal of saturated fats have a higher risk of ARMD. Saturated fat comes from animal products like beef, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk, and high fat cheese. Plant oils have saturated fat. This includes coconut oil, cocoa butter, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.[i]

“Most of us who have healthy eyesight are extremely attached to our vision (often without being conscious that we are). We depend heavily on our eyes, and yet we rarely give them a second thought. I, at least, am this way. The physical world is almost hyper-vivid to me.” (Rosemary Mahoney)