Pune (P&V News Service) : Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disorder that affects the overall retinal functioning thus impacting one’s vision. AMD affects people who are in their ‘50s and ‘60s, and as per studies is now the most common cause of significant irreversible vision loss among the elderly. It is progressive and causes a gradual deterioration of the macula – the part of the retina that is responsible for central vision.
Common Signs & Symptoms:Blurry vision, varying colour perception, momentary loss of vision. Other symptoms could include seeing straight lines as wavy or crooked, objects appearing smaller than normal, and colours looking less bright than they used to.
AMD’s gender skew
Women are reported to be more susceptible to AMD compared to men. Studies by GlobalData epidemiologists conducted in 2016 across 7 key pharmaceutical markets (the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan) conclude that nearly 66% of incident cases of AMD occurred among women. According to research studies, this gender skew for AMD could be attributed to the cyclic hormonal fluctuations in the female body, which is further compounded by the use of contraceptives and other endocrinological drugs. Another study pointed to the longer lifespan of women compared to men, and that was one of the key significant reasons for them being highly susceptible to AMD.
With a growing risk for AMD with advancing age, epidemiologists expect the AMD disease burden to grow significantly over the next few decades, inlight of the increasing aging population globally. Dr. Nitin Prabhudesai, Medical Director at Insight Vision Foundation, Pune says, “Women have more of genetic & hormonal issues as risk factors for AMD. Having a healthy lifestyle and regular eye examination after the age of 50 can help detect and treat AMD at an early stage for women. Proper care of systemic diseases like diabetes and hypertension also helps. Having programs which will help females especially from lower socioeconomic strata in detecting & treating AMD would help. AMD leads to irreversible blindness, so the individual becomes a burden to the family & is likely to be neglected, hence taking care of older females of the society is a social responsibility for all.”
Dr. Ajay Dudani, CEO Vitreoretinal Surgeon, Mumbai retina centre said “Macular Degeneration is more likely to occur in people over 50 years of age. The biggest risk factor is a family history of AMD. Some types of macular degeneration are more common in women, those include Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy. The risk factors in women are age, smoking, family history, and race. Reversing the vision loss from macular degeneration is not possible but retaining the remaining vision can be done with accurate treatment and regular checks with the ophthalmologist.”
AMD Management
“Eating certain food can cut the risk of Macular Degeneration like foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, zeaxanthin, cold-water fish, citrus foods, spinach, corn, broccoli, and peas. Regulated exercise can benefit the eyesight and can reduce the risk of getting wet AMD by almost 70%.”, Dr. Dudani added
Overall having a healthy lifestyle and a good exercise schedule, without recurrent smoking habits will help in managing AMD. Alongside this, the right kind of treatment, approaching the right healthcare practitioner, adherence to treatment and regular follow-ups will help women take care of their retinal health and prevent the development of AMD.
