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Healthy Living And Macular Degeneration: Tips To Protect Your Vision
By NAPS,
North American Precis Syndicate
. New York
,
NY
.
Photo:
NAPS
See your eye doctor regularly to protect your vision from age-related macular degeneration. (NAPS) |
(NAPSI)—Here’s health news you may be glad to see: A healthy
lifestyle may reduce your risk of getting vision diseases such as age-related
macular degeneration (AMD), which can damage central vision and currently
affects 11 million Americans. If you already have AMD, such a lifestyle may
help protect your remaining vision. Here are hints on how.
Tips To Help Your Vision
Don’t Smoke. Smokers are
more than twice as likely as nonsmokers to get AMD. Smoking narrows the blood
vessels, reducing blood supply to the eyes. If you smoke, make a plan to quit
with your doctor’s help.
Exercise Regularly. Exercise
may reduce inflammation, which is a key contributor to AMD. It can also help
lower eye pressure, which improves blood flow to the retina and optic nerve.
Eat a Varied and Nutritious Diet.
Both your eye health and your overall health benefit from a diet rich in
vitamins and minerals, including dark leafy greens, yellow and orange fruits
and vegetables, fish, and whole grains.
Maintain Normal
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels. High blood pressure narrows the
blood vessels that nourish the retina. Cholesterol deposits in the eye
contribute to AMD.
Maintain a Healthy Weight.
Being overweight contributes to AMD and increases your risk of heart disease
and diabetes. Develop a healthy diet and lifestyle plan.
Protect Your Eyes Outdoors.
Sunlight exposure may increase the risk of AMD. Wear wide-brimmed hats when
outdoors and use high-quality sunglasses with a UVA and UVB rating of 99 to
100 percent.
Keep Track of Your Eye Health.
It’s important to monitor your vision, to help with early detection of
eye problems or to slow the progression of AMD. Schedule regular,
comprehensive eye exams with your eye doctor. More than a vision test, the exam should include pupil dilation to detect
diseases, and the use of tonometry, which measures
eye fluid pressure.
Ask your doctor how often you should schedule exams, based on your risk
factors. These include a family history of AMD and being over age 60.
Learn More
For further eye care advice, you can download The Top Five Questions to
Ask Your Eye Doctor and other free vision resources at www.brightfocus.org/eye-health,
or call (800) 437-2423.
BrightFocus Foundation is a premier source of
research funding to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and
glaucoma, investing in bold, innovative science to find the cures for
diseases of mind and sight.
 “A
healthy lifestyle may reduce your risk of vision diseases such as age-related
macular degeneration, which can damage central vision according to @_BrightFocus. http://bit.ly/2EZ7HAz.”
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)
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