Macular
Degeneration
Macular degeneration (AMD) is the result of degeneration of the macula, the
central part of the retina that is responsible for seeing detail clearly. It
is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50, and affects one-quarter
of the aging population. It's estimated that 13 million people in the U.S. and
as many as 40 million people worldwide have signs of macular degeneration. Every
year, over 400,000 Americans are diagnosed with a severe form of macular degeneration,
leading to functional blindness.
Macular
Degeneration Treatment
A large body of research shows that people with higher dietary intakes of vegetables
and fruits have a lessened risk of macular degeneration. Numerous studies are
confirming that a class of pigments that color vegetables and fruit, called
carotenoids, accumulate in the macula and protect the eye against the development
of macular degeneration. Another pigment group in vegetables and fruits, flavonoids,
has been found to enlarge visual fields and restore visual acuity.
Blindness
Someone in America goes blind every seven minutes. Currently, 80 million Americans
have eye disorders which potentially can lead to blindness. Over six million
Americans are going blind from retinal degenerative diseases. By 2030 the number
is expected to reach more than 10 million.
In the U.S., the leading causes of blindness are macular degeneration and cataracts. Among the elderly, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the number one cause of blindness. AMD accounts for as much as one-third of the new cases of blindness each year.
Another high risk group for blindness are people with diabetes;16 million Americans have diabetes, and their risk of blindness is 25 times greater than the rest of the population. Diabetic retinopathy affects 600,000 to 700,000 Americans five to nine years after diabetes is diagnosed.
In developing countries, thousands of people suffer unnecessary blindness due to malnutrition, and to cataracts and glaucoma by not receiving routine eye care.
Eye
Diseases
The four most common eye diseases leading to vision loss are age-related; they
are macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Unfortunately,
these diseases are multiplying. Of the U.S. population over 75, more than half
have either macular degeneration, cataracts or glaucoma. Fortunately, over the
past few years many well-publicized scientific studies have consistently shown
that all four of the most common eye diseases are, in varying degrees, nutrition-related
and may be nutrition-responsive.
Eye
Problems
More than 100 million Americans require corrective lenses to see clearly. 11.4
million have severe visual problems not correctable by glasses. Visual impairment
that is not correctable by wearing corrective lenses, medication or surgery
is termed low vision. Low vision can result from a variety of disorders, diseases
or injuries affecting the eye. Age-related macular degeneration accounts for
close to 45% of all cases of low vision. The over-all yearly economic impact
of eye disorders and disabilities in the U.S. is about $38.4 billion in direct
and indirect costs (1995).
Eye
Care
Prevention is the key to eye care. Routine eye examinations are the best way
to detect eye conditions while they can be still treated. In addition, numerous
eye conditions can be traced to poor nutrition. Specifically, it is commonly
accepted that vegetables and fruits high in antioxidants protect against age
related eye problems, like macular degeneration and cataracts. Studies have
found that the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts was cut in half in
people who regularly consumed a variety of vegetables, especially spinach and
corn.