DISEASE SLOWLY STEALS VISION.Byline: Carol Bidwell Daily News Staff Writer Age-related macular degeneration Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) Degeneration of the macula (the central part of the retina where the rods and cones are most dense) that leads to loss of central vision in people over 60. (AMD (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, www.amd.com) A major manufacturer of semiconductor devices including x86-compatible CPUs, embedded processors, flash memories, programmable logic devices and networking chips. ) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in people over 65 in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . It is estimated that about 14 percent of people age 55 to 64, 20 percent of those 65 to 75, and up to 37 percent of those over 75 have some form of AMD. Slow but progressive, it results from the breakdown of cells in the macula, the small central part of the retina that allows a person to see fine detail. The result is that objects directly in front of an AMD sufferer appear to change shape, size or color and may seem to move or disappear. Vision may become blurry, lines may become distorted, or dark spots may appear in the center of the field of vision, although many with AMD retain some peripheral vision peripheral vision n. Vision produced by light rays falling on areas of the retina beyond the macula. Also called indirect vision. Peripheral vision . The condition makes it difficult to read, write, drive and recognize faces. Medical experts say they are not sure what causes macular degeneration macular degeneration, eye disorder causing loss of central vision. The affected area, the macula, lies at the back of the retina and is the part that produces the sharpest vision. , although risk factors seem to include high alcohol consumption, a poor diet, sun damage, smoking and heart disease or high blood pressure. Women are more likely than men to develop the condition, and Caucasians - particularly those with light-colored eyes - are more likely to suffer from it than African-Americans. Currently, there is no permanent effective treatment or cure for the condition. But researchers say there are things people can do to protect their eyes early in life, including wearing sunglasses sunglasses A tinted pair of glasses used to ↓ light arriving at the eye, which are labeled according to the amount of UV light blocked; nonprescription glasses are classified according to use and amount of UV radiation blocked Sunglasses or brimmed brim n. 1. The rim or uppermost edge of a hollow container or natural basin. 2. A projecting rim or edge: the brim of a hat. 3. A border or an edge. See Synonyms at border. hats when in the sun, eating a diet rich in fruits and leafy green vegetables, stopping smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, limiting saturated fats and cholesterol in their diet and keeping their blood pressure down. A free, 12-page brochure, ``Taking a Closer Look at Age-Related Macular Degeneration,'' is available by calling (800) 497-0360. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: To test for age-related macular degeneration, hold this grid at your normal reading distance. Use glasses if needed. Cover one eye at a time and look at the dot. If any lines look wavy or distorted or if pieces of the grid are missing, see an eye-care professional. |
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