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AMD

Last Updated March 6, 2023

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

According to the CDC, the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) increases with age from 2% among people aged 40 to 44 to 46.6% among people aged at or greater than age 85. Data such as this can be scary, but there is a lot that you can do to reduce the risk of developing AMD and potentially slow its progression. While macular degeneration doesn’t always transition to vision loss, it can affect everyday tasks like reading, watching TV, and even recognizing the face of a loved one.

A macular degeneration diagnosis can be overwhelming, and many people want to know: how fast does macular degeneration progress? That’s why we’ve put together this macular degeneration progression timeline to help people categorize where they stand, what to expect in the future, and what they can do about it.

In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at each of the stages of macular degeneration, discuss what to expect, and answer common questions. Read on for more information.

What Is Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease with an average age beginning around roughly 65 years old. At age 70, around 10 percent of individuals in the United States have an AMD diagnosis. It impacts central vision, with symptoms ranging from blurred or distorted eyesight to light sensitivity and difficulty seeing in low-light situations (e.g., driving at night). There are two main types of AMD: dry macular generation and wet macular degeneration. Before we delve into the macular degeneration progression timeline, let’s look at each in more detail.

What is Dry Macular Degeneration?

Dry AMD is the most common type of macular degeneration. This stage accounts for 80% to 90% of all cases. Healthcare professionals can spot the symptoms of dry macular degeneration as a progressive collection of yellowish spots or deposits called drusen that form under the retina.

In the case of people with dry macular degeneration, the biochemical pathways in the retina become dysfunctional, which leads to the buildup of the drusen in the retina. The buildup of drusen in the eye and biochemical pathways gives rise to excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. This can lead to irreversible damage to the retina’s light-sensing cells, which ushers in the aforementioned visual issues.

Patients suffering from dry macular degeneration experience central vision distortion and loss of vision over time. The dry macular degeneration progression timeline can be categorized into three stages, and it typically takes approximately five to ten years to reach the final stages.

The probability for developing dry AMD is determined primarily by genetics and lifestyle factors, like diet and exercise. The risk factors of dry macular degeneration include the following:

Age – It is common for symptoms of dry macular degeneration to appear in patients over 60 years old.
Family history – Genetics can play a part in dry macular degeneration as it has a hereditary component. There are specific genes that are linked with this condition. Additionally, dry macular degeneration is more common in people of Caucasian descent.

Obesity – Obesity can increase the chances of dry macular degeneration and the early stages of the condition and can lead to more advanced AMD cases.
Cardiovascular diseases – Heart or blood ailments can also cause patients to increase their chances of developing dry macular degeneration.
Smoking – Tobacco products can significantly increase the risk of developing dry macular degeneration.
Exercise – Regular, vigorous exercise is found to reduce the risk of AMD significantly. Sedentary behavior, therefore, is an important risk factor.

Dry macular degeneration can also lead to wet macular degeneration, the more severe form of the disease (more on this in the next section).

What is Wet Macular Degeneration?

Wet AMD, or late-stage AMD, is characterized by a more severe disease process involving leakage of blood into the retina and the growth of abnormal blood vessels. This ultimately results in the destruction of the light-sensitive retina and central visual blindness. This stage of AMD is relatively rare compared to dry AMD. Out of all macular degeneration conditions, wet macular degeneration accounts for approximately 20% of known cases. However, it is common for wet AMD to arise out of dry AMD.

Wet AMD often results in severe sight impairment or loss, which may happen rapidly. But exactly how quickly does wet macular degeneration progress? Although there is some variability, the wet macular degeneration timeline can take several months to progress from when symptoms appear to significant degeneration. In some cases, when left untreated, wet AMD can take mere days to advance to late-stage disease.

The factors that can increase the risk of wet macular degeneration are the same as dry macular degeneration. However, wet macular degeneration conditions can develop in a number of ways compared to dry macular degeneration. The different development causes are:

Vision loss caused by the irregular flow of blood vessel growth can cause leakages of blood and fluid from under the retina.

Vision loss caused by the buildup of fluid in the back of the eye. Fluid leaks build up in the back of the eye, resulting in the distortion or loss of vision.

What to Expect During the Macular Degeneration Progression Timeline

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with macular degeneration, you may be wondering how quickly does macular degeneration progress and what to expect during each stage. As mentioned earlier, the dry macular degeneration timeline can take an average of five to ten years. But if you have the wet form of the disease, your timeline might be shorter.

Below are some common symptoms that affect patients diagnosed with macular degeneration:

Visual distortions such as straight lines looking bent or crooked.
Reduced central vision out of a single or both eyes.
Need for brighter lights when performing everyday activities, such as performing close-up work or reading.
Difficulty adapting to dark rooms or light levels, including movie theaters or dimly lit restaurants.
Increased blurriness and difficulty reading printed texts and words.
Difficulty recognizing people’s faces.
Well-defined blurry spot or a blind spot that does not go away.

These symptoms can occur throughout the three different stages of macular degeneration: early, intermediate and advanced. Each one of these stages has different effects on the patient’s vision. Let’s look at each stage of macular degeneration in more detail.

Early Stage Macular Degeneration

Early macular degeneration can also be considered pre-macular degeneration as there are minimal to no side effects, like vision loss or blurriness. Optometrists can discover this early stage of macular degeneration through a routine eye exam by checking the level of drusen building up in the retina. The buildup of drusen can happen long before symptoms appear, which is why it’s important to schedule regular eye exams.

Once an optometrist detects an early indication of drusen buildup, they will tell patients to come back for frequent eye exams to monitor their condition or check for any signs of macular degeneration progression. They may also recommend a change in diet or supplementation with key nutrients to help slow the progression of AMD. Even if the patient has no symptoms, it is crucial that they follow up with these appointments and follow all instructions.

Intermediate Stage Macular Degeneration

The intermediate stage is when AMD patients often begin to experience symptoms, including vision loss, blurriness and requiring more light to perform daily activities. An intermediate-stage macular degeneration diagnosis is based on the number and size of drusen in the eye. During this stage, the level of drusen buildup starts to advance, resulting in an increased risk of progressing to the advanced stage and experiencing life-changing symptoms.

Diagnoses for the intermediate stage require the presence of multiple medium-sized drusen or at least one large drusen in one eye or both eyes of the patient. It also requires that the pigmentation of the retina changes to become “splotchy” and not uniform.

Advanced Stage Macular Degeneration (Wet AMD)

This is the final stage of macular degeneration. By this point, patients have probably experienced almost all of the symptoms of the condition, including vision loss, blurriness, blind spots and leaking of fluids.

As the disease progresses, patients can expect blind spots to occur that block the central part of their vision. The result is that patients can have difficulty reading, recognizing faces, telling time on a clock – pretty much anything that requires sharp central vision. Patients may still be able to use their peripheral vision (side vision), though they may be classified as legally blind.

Macular Degeneration FAQs

Living with macular degeneration can be frightening and stressful, and chances are you have questions. Let’s go over some of the most frequently asked questions regarding this common age-related eye condition.

Can you stop the progression of macular degeneration?

At the time of this article’s writing, there is AMD has no cure. However, there are ways to improve symptoms, including incorporating a healthy diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, and taking supplements for macular degeneration.

Can macular degeneration cause blindness?

The short answer is yes, but not fully. Even the worst-case scenarios of advanced macular degeneration typically only lead to central vision loss, not complete blindness. But if you experience extensive vision loss, how long does it take to go blind from macular degeneration? It typically takes approximately 5-10 years to progress from early-stage macular degeneration to the advanced stages. In advanced stages, vision loss may be severe enough that patients may be legally considered blind and should not drive or use machinery.

What is high myopia macular degeneration?

High myopia macular degeneration can occur if you suffer from extreme myopia (i.e., short-sightedness). Because those with high myopia are at increased risk for AMD, most people with this condition want to know: how fast does high myopia macular degeneration progress? Because it’s still a form of macular degeneration, it takes approximately ten years to progress to advanced stages.

Minimize Your Risk of Macular Degeneration

It’s important to schedule regular eye examinations with an experienced optometrist to

minimize your risk of developing AMD and causing the disease to progress. In addition, it’s important to eat a healthy diet (including lots of fruits and vegetables), engage in regular exercise, refrain from smoking, and take high-quality carotenoid supplements from a trusted retailer.

MacuHealth’s scientifically formulated eye supplements are clinically proven to protect your vision as you age, thanks to their research-backed ingredients and ability to rebuild macular pigment. MacuHealth’s formulations contain all three carotenoids vital to maintaining eye health (Meso-Zeaxanthin, Lutein and Zeaxanthin). Shop our eye vitamins for macular degeneration today!

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AMD

Last Updated March 6, 2023

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

Reading letters off the wall of our eye care specialists’ office is the eye test we’re probably most familiar with. Doctors have used it to measure clarity of vision – or visual acuity – for over a century because it’s reliable in helping to determine refractive error (blurry vision) and legal blindness. It serves as a good metric to track and manage ocular disease. But over the last several decades, the field of optometry has changed, and there are now many other methods for specialists to determine the quality of your vision.

We’ll look at another test your eye care professional can utilize to determine the quality of your visual function – contrast sensitivity. We’ll also examine how this aspect of your eyesight can help you in the real world and how the best eye supplements can help improve it.

What Does Visual Acuity Measure?

As stated above, if you’ve looked at a wall chart of letters or symbols during an exam, your eye care specialist is trying to determine your visual acuity. It’s a quick and easy way for your doctor to determine if your vision has changed and help them discover if you need an eyeglass or contact lens prescription.

A fraction, such as 20/20, symbolizes your visual acuity result. For example, if you have 20/20 vision, you can clearly see an object of a given size 20 feet away. This number doesn’t mean you have perfect sight – it is considered “good” vision. Most people won’t even have 20/20 vision unless prescribed corrective lenses. Not even the best eye supplements can help improve your result. Visual acuity depends largely on the optics of the eye and often requires corrective lenses.

What Is Contrast Sensitivity?

Contrast sensitivity is the ability to detect subtle differences in shading and patterns. It effectively allows us to distinguish objects in our visual field. It’s an essential measure of visual function, especially in situations of low light, fog or glare, when the contrast between objects and their environment is reduced. Having good contrast sensitivity is vital for driving at night.

A contrast sensitivity test measures your ability to distinguish between finer and finer increments of light versus dark. Often individuals can detect differences as low as 2 percent. In terms of “real-world” vision, a contrast sensitivity test captures significantly more information than a visual acuity test.

Your contrast sensitivity may not be up to par, even if you have 20/20 visual acuity. Interestingly, research shows that nutritional supplements containing the three macular carotenoids (Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Meso-Zeaxanthin) can boost contrast sensitivity.

How Is Contrast Sensitivity Measured?

There are two general contrast sensitivity tests. The most widely used is the Pelli-Robson test, which consists of different capital letters organized in horizontal lines. The contrast decreases with each line. You read the letters down the chart to determine the level you can see. A better contrast sensitivity test is a sinewave grating test. It consists of several dark and light parallel bars to provide a more acute way to see how your eyes detect contrast.

As you may know, contrast sensitivity testing isn’t part of a typical eye exam. If you feel something is affecting your visual contrast, ask your eye care professional to perform a Pelli-Robson or sinewave grating test.

What Can the Best Eye Supplements Do to Improve Contrast Sensitivity?

A contrast sensitivity test will allow your eye care professional to determine if your visual performance is reasonably good. It can also potentially detect eye disease much sooner – allowing them to recommend a treatment plan based on your needs.

In many cases, your doctor may recommend supplements to rebuild macular pigment and optimize the use of light at the retina in a way that eyeglasses and contact lenses cannot provide. MacuHealth’s patented formula is one of the best eye supplements available, and many doctors recommend it because it is scientifically proven to improve contrast sensitivity and visual performance. To learn more, click here to shop for MacuHealth now.

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AMD

Last Updated January 31, 2023

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

Do carrots boost your eyesight? Scientific American published an article that puts an end to the debate.

What was their conclusion? Carrots are rich in the carotenoid beta-carotene; the body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which can improve your vision under certain conditions, such as a vitamin A deficiency. And while vitamin A is vital to prevent blindness and maintain the health of the cornea (the clear front of the eye), there isn’t a definite answer on how many carrots it would take to improve one’s vision.

But other vegetables are shown to boost eyesight because of the nutrients they contain. Broccoli, corn, squash and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale are rich in the carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These are two of the three carotenoids deposited in the central retina (called the “macula”), where they accumulate to form the macular pigment. These nutrients have a yellow-orange coloration that enables it to filter potentially harmful blue light.

They also protect against oxidative stress and inflammation and enhance visual performance. The macula is the part of the eye responsible for central vision, which most people consider to be the most vital aspect of your sight. It allows you to see fine detail, recognize faces, and read this text! Indeed, the central retina brings color and detail to everything you see.

How do you increase macular pigment? Is eating vegetables enough to replenish this small but vital substance in the eye? We’ll take a closer look at how to put more carotenoids in our diet.

What Do Lutein and Zeaxanthin Do?

As noted above, Lutein and Zeaxanthin are dietary carotenoids that filter damaging high-energy blue wavelength light from the visible-light spectrum by as much as 90 percent. They’re also antioxidants that protect against the damage caused by free radicals produced through normal body processes. Environmental sources of free radicals include cigarette smoke, air pollutants, radiation, certain drugs and environmental toxins.

How do you increase macular pigment with these carotenoids? In a 1994 Journal of American Medical Association report, Dr. Johanna M. Seddon and her associates at Harvard University found that six mg per day of lutein over the lifespan leads to a 43 percent lower risk for AMD.

“When we compared the amount of macular pigment, which is comprised of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, present in the eyes of people with age-related macular degeneration to people without the disease, those with the lowest levels of carotenoid accumulation in the outer retina were significantly more likely to suffer from age-related macular degeneration than those with higher pigment levels,” said Dr. Landrum. “The difference in risk between those having the highest and lowest levels was 75 percent.”

But Isn't There A Third Macular Carotenoid?

Meso-Zeaxanthin, the most potent antioxidant of the three macular carotenoids, is only found in the center of the macula, where vision is the sharpest. How do you increase macular pigment with Meso-Zeaxanthin? It’s obtained by an enzyme that converts ingested Lutein inside the retina. Most AMD patients have 30 percent less Meso-Zeaxanthin in their macula and are unable to convert Lutein into Meso-Zeaxanthin. To be sure you’ve got enough of all three macular carotenoids, a supplement containing all three is optimal.

Who Benefits from Enriching Macular Pigment?

Nearly everyone will benefit from enriching and maximizing macular pigment throughout their lifetime. Our diets are generally lower in nutrients, and modern technology has dictated that we’re exposed to more blue light. Although everyone can benefit from enriching macular pigment, the following people will benefit the greatest:

Children and Young Adults

This group is more susceptible to damage from high-energy blue light emitting from our computers, tablets, smartphones and energy-efficient fluorescent lights. Their lives revolve around these devices, and they’re holding them closer to their faces, which increases the intensity of blue light.

Pre- and Post-Cataract Patients

Post-cataract patients have had their crystalline lens removed and replaced with an intra-ocular lens. Once the lens of the eye is removed, the yellowing of this lens, which is also a natural blue light filter, is also removed. When the cataract is removed, the lens returns to its clear, child-like form. This makes the macula more susceptible to blue light and the photooxidation that accompanies it.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Patients diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease with no cure, have a significantly increased risk of blindness as the disease progresses. Often, the disease starts in one eye and can affect the other eye at some later time. The increased macular pigment can slow the progression of AMD, help save the vision in the diseased eye and potentially delay the onset of the disease in the other eye.

Furthermore, family members of those diagnosed with AMD are at higher risk of developing the disease. Family history and genetics are the greatest risk factors for developing AMD. If one of your parents, grandparents or a sibling has the disease, your risk of disease onset increases. Building up macular pigment earlier in life should be strongly considered.

Those with Visually Demanding Careers

People with occupations that have critical vision requirements can benefit significantly from increasing their macular pigment density. Several studies have shown that the enrichment of macular pigment optimizes visual performance for athletes, the military and the police.

How Do You Increase Macular Pigment, and Why Is It Vital for Our Vision?

We can’t take macular pigment for granted. It is no accident that the ingredients that make up this protective layer in the eye accumulate in the center of the retina, where vision is the sharpest (particularly color vision), and oxidative stress is abundant.

These ingredients limit injury at the retina by absorbing the amount of short wavelength (blue) visible light incident upon the photoreceptors. But humans cannot synthesize macular carotenoids – we need to obtain them from diet or supplementation. Our diets have fewer of these critical nutrients due to a significant increase in processed foods. Even a healthy diet often does not provide enough of these nutrients to protect our vision from oxidation over our lifetime.

Thankfully, there is a supplement that contains all three macular carotenoids in a dose that has been shown to significantly increase macular pigment: MacuHealth. MacuHealth is scientifically proven to protect the eye from damage, rebuild macular pigment and manage the symptoms of AMD.

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Clinical Studies

Last Updated January 31, 2023

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

If you’re an eye care provider, chances are you’ve come back from a trade show or conference excited about all the products you learned about, but you have no idea how to integrate them into your practice. Fast forward to a week later, and that feeling of inspiration has left, meaning that you’re depriving your patients of an opportunity to improve their vision and a new revenue stream for your practice.

How can you keep that after-conference feeling going? We’ll dive into how you can best implement new products so you and your patients can reap the benefits.

Start to Implement New Products When the Patient Calls In

If you’re trying to start something new at your practice, begin at the opening of the patient experience: when they call to make an appointment. Have your front desk employees ask them to bring in a list of all the medications and supplements when they come in for their exam and any old pairs of glasses.

“We’re starting the conversation and setting the tone that we’re different,” explains Dr. Jennifer Stewart. “They say, ‘Why does that matter? I’m just getting an eye exam.’ It becomes an opportunity to educate.'”

Employees can take this a step further and have them bring in the bottle of any supplements they’re currently taking so you can compare it to what you want them to take. For example, if a patient takes a powder-filled capsule, you can show them how an oil-filled supplement like MacuHealth offers more stable ingredients.

Spread the Word

Patients will naturally be curious about why they need to take eye supplements, and one way to sustain their interest is to include the products you offer on your practice’s website. You can even write a blog post explaining why taking eye supplements are integral to preventing and maintaining certain eye diseases.

But don’t stop there. Familiarize your patients with these products through email blasts and social media posts. The more they know going in for their appointment, the easier it will be to educate them about why they’re vital for their eye health.

“If you start putting that [information] out there, it gets [patients] coming in and asking about it,” explains Dr. Stewart.

Start Up a Conversation

When your team performs an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) or MPOD (Macular Pigment Optical Density) on a patient, it’s a good time for them to start a discussion on retinal nutrition. It is an even better time to bring it up when you’re discussing their results in the exam room, including the risk factors associated with eye conditions, such as smoking and any history of disease in their family.

But you don’t have to limit these discussions to those in a risk group. If a patient complains of glare while driving at night or is an athlete looking to boost their visual performance, it can be a chance to educate them on the importance of eye nutrition.

“We have an opportunity to give [patients] a concrete way to help them,” says Dr. Stewart.

Some Other Best Practices

Offer a discount for yearly supply
Offer a six-month supply and make an appointment for follow-up
Write a prescription for supplement subscription
Be honest and say you take it yourself
Have a 15-second elevator pitch ready
Don’t leave them to look on Amazon
Do not take any rejection personally
Be confident

Conclusion

Every time a patient comes to your practice, you have an opportunity to change their lives by offering them supplements based on scientific research. Implementing supplements into the patient experience can help them prevent and manage any disease and increase revenue for your practice. For more information, contact a sales representative from MacuHealth today.

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Eye Health

Last Updated January 10, 2023

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

They say life is a game of inches, but it actually comes down to milliseconds. If you can react faster, you’ll perform better – whether you’re a professional athlete or someone who simply wants a safer driving experience. A quicker response time is just one of the visual enhancements that comes with Vision Edge PRO.

With increased screen time and blue light exposure constantly threatening our sight, a vision supplement must work even harder to protect the eyes from free radicals and inflammation in the retina. Our scientists and researchers asked: How does the best become better?

The answer is omega-3s, specifically DHA and EPA. Fish oil is scientifically proven to work synergistically with macular carotenoids Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Meso-Zeaxanthin. They enhance bioavailability and boost protection from oxidative stress. With regular use, you’ll see results faster, an essential enhancement for anyone who wants to improve visual performance.

What other enhancements can I see with Vision Edge PRO?

But the synergy between the macular carotenoids and omega-3 fish oil doesn’t stop there. When taken together, these ingredients accumulate rapidly in target tissues like the retina and brain. The higher the levels of these nutrients, the better these vital organs will perform, leading to improved health and performance and less damage over time. If taken daily, the 300 mg of DHA and EPA in Vision Edge PRO provides an equivalent of two servings of fish per week, leading to improved heart health, per the American Heart Association.

With continued use, you’ll typically experience a reduction in eye strain, eye fatigue and reduced frequency of headaches. This leads to improved tolerance to bright stadium lights and sunlight, an increased ability to perceive fine details, quicker response times and better decisions during athletic play and everyday activities.

Vision Edge PRO is proof the best can get better. With carotenoids and omega-3 fish oil working together, the result is an unbeatable combination.

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AMD

Last Updated December 14, 2022

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by the gradual loss of a person’s central vision. It remains the most common reason for vision loss in older adults, with more than 10 million people living with the condition in the U.S.

Central vision is served by a specialized region of the retina called the macula – hence the term macular degeneration. The loss of central vision caused by AMD is a type of retinal degenerative disease because the macula forms part of the retina. However, there are several forms of this disease, two of which are most common: “dry” AMD and “wet” AMD.

This guide covers what you need to know about macular degeneration, wet vs. dry AMD, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

Wet vs. Dry Macular Degeneration

Degenerative retinal disease is a term for diseases afflicting the eye’s retina. Approximately 51.26% of people aged 60 to 69 will experience some form of retinal disease, with the rate rising through the age groups.

AMD causes issues with the macula at the retina’s center. Problems with the macula leave you with peripheral vision but disrupted central vision. All forms of AMD cause the cells beneath the macula to degrade.

Let’s discuss wet vs. dry AMD, including symptoms and treatment options.

Wet Macular Degeneration

Wet AMD, also known as exudative AMD, occurs in the late stages of the disease. It’s the least common form of AMD, with 15% of all diagnosed cases being exudative.

Atypical blood vessels will appear around the retina and macula. These blood vessels will begin to leak fats and proteins, which can lead to scarring. Without urgent treatment, bleeding behind the eye in elderly patients can lead to a dramatic and permanent loss of vision.

Symptoms

Wet AMD can cause severe problems with your vision. It is not uncommon for straight lines to appear crooked, wavy, or warped. Some other symptoms of wet AMD include:

Blurry areas in your central vision.
Blank spots in your vision.
Worse vision in dimly lit areas.
Less vivid colors.

Treatment

Treatments exist for wet AMD to prevent further vision loss. These treatments are designed to lower the number of irregular blood vessels in the eyes. Note that none of these treatments can reverse any of the damage caused.

There are two approved solutions for wet AMD, including:

Anti-VEGF Medication – The purpose of anti-VEGF is to stop the specific protein causing blood vessels to expand and leak into the eye. It is an effective treatment for treating the number of irregular blood vessels within the eye. These medications must be injected into the back of the eye. Depending on the severity, treatment may need to be repeated every few weeks or months.
Thermal Laser Photocoagulation – TLP uses lasers to target and destroy the irregular blood vessels in the eye. TLP is reserved for severe wet AMD cases and is usually paired with anti-VEGF medication.

Dry Macular Degeneration

Most people with diagnosed AMD have the dry version. Dry AMD makes up 85-90% of all diagnosed AMD cases. With the early, dry form of AMD, there is less retinal damage and, therefore, less vision loss.

Dry AMD is marked by deposits of clumped debris in the retina called drusen. Waste products from the retina’s cells make up these yellow deposits; drusen can clog the pathways that otherwise would nourish the visual cells in the retina and carry away waste products.

Symptoms

Dry macular degeneration shares many of the same symptoms as wet AMD – it is, therefore, crucial to see an eye care professional annually in order to catch the disease at the earliest possible stage.

Symptoms include blank spots, perceiving straight lines as warped, problems seeing in low lighting, and problematic central vision. However, symptoms vary in severity based on how advanced AMD is.

Early Stage – No visual symptoms, but a scheduled dilated eye exam may stumble upon signs of early AMD – namely the presence of drusen.
Intermediate Stage – Visual symptoms are usually present, with some distortion, blurriness, and difficulty seeing in low light is the most common.
Late Stage – The same symptoms as wet AMD, with a noticeable decline in vision.

Treatment

There are some differences between wet AMD vs. dry AMD treatment. Scientists are exploring potential ways to halt the progression of dry AMD and prevent the onset of later-stage disease. Studies of specific nutrients to support the health of the retina have yielded very promising results. Other studies have characterized some benefits from the use of stem cells and pharmaceutical agents.

In the meantime, preventative steps, such as living a healthy lifestyle, can significantly reduce your risk of dry AMD. Also, the importance of scheduling regular eye exams to catch early problems cannot be overstated. Your eye doctor is an expert at catching subtle changes that may signal a cause for concern. The earlier AMD is caught, the better the outcome.

How to Prevent Wet and Dry Macular Degeneration

Both dry and wet AMD originate from damaged cells underneath the retina. Adopting strategies to protect your eyes can reduce your risk of experiencing AMD. While there is no way to reduce your risk to zero, healthier people are less likely to experience the condition.

Macular degeneration prevention begins with your lifestyle. As spelled out in some detail below, you can take substantial steps today to preserve your vision for the future.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is one of the leading causes of sight problems later in life, as well as a host of other conditions. Quitting smoking as early as possible can prevent further eye damage and produce a regenerative effect on the rest of your body.

Improve Your Diet

Your eyes need proper nutrition for proper health and maintenance. Keep your eyes in good working order by eating a balanced diet filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Think about what you eat and incorporate more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish oil into your diet. Reducing your greasy, fatty food intake is also helpful.

Take Proper Supplements

Doctors recommend a diet with green vegetables such as kale and spinach. They’re rich in antioxidants known as carotenoids. But modern farming conditions have caused a decrease in the nutritional value of food. Now the average American consumes 1/20th of the recommended amount each day. This isn’t enough to improve visual performance and manage AMD progression.

Thankfully, supplementation is a viable way to replenish macular carotenoids. Studies show that supplements containing all three macular carotenoids – Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Meso-Zeaxanthin – boost macular pigment; a dense macular pigment layer significantly improves the health and performance of the retina. Taking a high-quality supplement like MacuHealth is an excellent way to ensure that the body receives the proper amount of carotenoids needed to support visual health and performance.

Schedule Regular Eye Appointments

Catching the signs of AMD enables you to take preventative steps.

Dry AMD progresses in stages, meaning that you may not have any symptoms during the early and intermediate stages.

While wet AMD tends to have more profound symptoms, regular eye appointments can help your doctor spot the warning signs.

Early diagnosis can allow you to enjoy healthy vision for longer and take positive steps to slow the onset of this degenerative eye disease.

Preserve Your Vision with MacuHealth

Understanding macular degeneration and wet vs. dry AMD symptoms is essential for taking action to preserve your vision as you age.

MacuHealth’s patented formula is the supplement that doctors choose to improve the health of the retina, leading to better visual performance and protection from AMD.

To learn more about eye vitamins for macular degeneration and how to preserve your vision, shop now with MacuHealth.

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Clinical Studies

Last Updated December 13, 2022

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

Spotting an eye floater for the first time can be concerning. These dark shapes that drift across your vision can make you believe something is wrong with your eyes. But eye floaters are exceptionally common, with one study confirming that 76% of respondents had seen them in their eyes.

While the condition is common, there aren’t any products that can get rid of eye floaters. But there are products that can help you manage them.

What are Eye Floaters?

Before discussing an eye floaters treatment, where do they come from?

Most people experience eye floaters as a natural consequence of aging. Floaters are bits of collagen from inside the vitreous, a gel-like substance found in the middle of the eye. With age, the vitreous shrinks and creates these little particles.

According to the National Eye Institute, floaters can appear as spots, threads, cobwebs, and squiggly lines.

Since eye floaters drift through the eye’s vitreous, they appear to “float.” Many people also report their floaters moving with the movement of their eyes. You can see them primarily when they pass through the retina’s center, the macula.

The easiest way to see eye floaters is to stare at a blank surface, such as a wall or a piece of paper. Note that unless your eye floater happens to be drifting across your retina, you will be unable to see it.

In most cases, removing floaters from the eyes is not necessary. Nearly all floaters are benign and will not lead to serious vision problems. But do eye floaters go away? Sometimes floaters become less pronounced or disappear on their own.

Occasionally, the appearance of floaters can indicate a severe eye condition known as posterior vitreous or retinal detachment. Detached retinas can cause a severe and sudden deterioration in vision.

Another potential issue is a retinal tear. These tears occur due to the natural shrinking of the vitreous over time.

Make sure you see an optometrist immediately if you note more floaters than usual, flashes across your vision, or a sudden decline in your ability to see.

What Causes Eye Floaters?

Although annoying, eye floaters are nothing to be concerned about for most people. The shrinking vitreous can lead to floaters, but there are different types of eye floaters to consider.

Here is a breakdown of the three most common eye floaters:

Embryonic Remnants – These floaters occur because the hyaloid artery, responsible for providing nutrients to the eye in the womb, pulls away from the lens. Sometimes, the debris can lead to floaters, which are pieces of the hyaloid artery.
Asteroid Hyalosis – These eye floaters look like stars in the night sky because they are made from calcium soaps rather than the most common collagen-based floaters. Scientists have yet to conclude where these white opacities come from.
Posterior Vitreous Detachment – As mentioned, these floaters occur due to the retina detaching from the eye. These floaters are often larger than the floaters caused by age alone.

Many people decide against eye floater removal because they eventually stop noticing them. However, understanding what causes eye floaters can reveal which type of floater you have and whether there is any way to remove floaters in your eyes.

Who is at Risk of Developing Eye Floaters?

Nearly all cases of eye floaters come with age. Floaters can happen to anyone, but several factors place you in the higher risk category, including:

You are over 50.
You were diagnosed with diabetes.
You have experienced previous vision problems, such as eye swelling.
You have had cataract correction surgery.

The prevalence of eye floaters has increased recently due to the increase in myopia, or nearsightedness. This occurs when the eye grows too long from the front to the back. Several studies have shown a dramatic rise in myopia cases, with the digital age primarily responsible for the problem. Floaters are also being found at higher rates in younger people.

If you are nearsighted, your chances of experiencing floaters are considerably higher than those with perfect vision or farsightedness.

How to Get Rid of Eye Floaters

An eye floaters treatment depends on the floaters you have. Collagen-based floaters are the easiest to remove, with some nutritional supplements showing remarkable effectiveness in reducing the onset and severity of floaters.

If eye floaters begin to impact your vision, you must consider alternative options, including medical intervention. To date, four courses of action are available for reducing eye floaters.

Ignore Them

Approximately 90% of eye floaters are caused by aging. However, the invention of modern electronics and increasing myopia rates have led to premature eye aging in younger patients.

Experiencing floaters below 50 is not necessarily a reason for concern. In many cases, floaters will fade on their own. Many people report floaters disappearing, a consequence of the brain learning to ignore them and your vision adapting.

Unless floaters become a problem, the most straightforward course is to ignore them.

Nutritional Supplements

Getting rid of eye floaters through supplementation is a recently discovered treatment option.

According to the Floater Intervention Study (FLIES), increasing the supply of antiglycative nutrients and antioxidants can significantly shrink collagen-based floaters.

MacuHealth has provided a blend based on the FLIES study known as VitreousHealth to address the issue of eye floaters and poor eye nutrition. VitreousHealth is a supplement available through the MacuHealth online store and a nationwide selection of eye doctors.

Vitrectomy

Patients with severe eye floaters may opt for a vitrectomy. Vitrectomies are a type of invasive surgery capable of the removal of eye floaters.

By making a small incision, doctors can remove the vitreous from the eye and replace it with a solution to preserve its shape. Over time, the body produces more vitreous and gradually replaces the new solution.

According to the latest science, the single-operation success rate of the vitrectomy is 89.8%, making it a relatively low-risk eye surgery.

However, a vitrectomy does not guarantee never experiencing eye floaters again. Regardless of the type of surgical intervention, eye floaters can continue to form. The risk of newly formed floaters increases if trauma or excessive bleeding occurs during surgery.

Generally, eye doctors will only recommend this surgery if someone is experiencing severe floater symptoms impacting their vision.

Experimental Laser Therapy

As the name implies, experimental laser therapy is a brand-new treatment focusing lasers on the eyes’ floaters. The logic behind this therapy is that lasers can break up the floaters and reduce their visibility. However, the risks are high. Poorly aimed lasers could cause permanent damage to the retina.

Current laser treatments utilize a YAG laser. The problem with the treatment is that many people experience no tangible changes while continuing to risk having a laser pointed directly at their eyes.

A study examining the safety and efficacy of experimental laser therapy for floaters saw 54% of patients reporting no benefits from the treatment. Moreover, 7.7% of patients in the study complained that their symptoms had worsened.

Concerning the safety of lasers, none of the participants experienced any severe complications more than one year after the study.

Poor efficacy rates make this a last-chance eye floaters remedy.

Reduce the Severity of Eye Floaters with MacuHealth

Eye floaters are exceptionally common, and most people will learn not to notice them in time. While a limited number of cases may indicate a severe vision problem, most are benign and little more than an annoyance.

Rather than living with the symptoms, eye floaters treatment is available. New scientific discoveries have revealed that curing the problem is possible by supplying the correct nutrients and antioxidants to the vitreous.

MacuHealth’s nourishing blend is proven to improve the symptoms of floaters and reduce their severity. We also offer Omega-3 supplements to support and maintain eye health. If you want to improve your sight, shop now with MacuHealth.

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AMD

Last Updated November 28, 2022

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

Consider all the things that require hand-eye coordination. Everything from driving a car to picking up a ball involves cooperation between your hands, eyes and brain.

Good hand-eye coordination is a pillar of high-performance sports, and it’s natural to see it decline with age. Other factors that can influence this reduction include a poor diet, genetic diseases, and a sedentary lifestyle. However, you can improve hand-eye coordination with regular strengthening exercises that will allow you to maintain your athletic performance long into the future.

8 Easy and Effective Ways to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination

Researchers discovered that integrating specific exercises and movements into your daily routine can improve hand-eye coordination. We’ll explore eight easy and effective ways to strengthen the relationship between your brain, hands and eyes.

Shadowboxing

Shadowboxing is an exercise where you throw punches at an opponent or soft pads. The goal is not to hit hard but to increase your reaction time and improve your hand-eye coordination.

To begin, you aim left with your right hand or aim to the right with your left hand. There is a massive benefit in forcing the brain to cross the midline, the imaginary vertical line splitting you in half from nose to ankle via your belly button.

Another advantage of shadowboxing is it’s an excellent cardio workout. If you want to improve as an athlete, trading cycling or running for shadowboxing is an efficient way to advance on multiple fronts.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi has immense mental and physical health benefits. Adding this ancient martial art to your routine requires only a few minutes daily. Deep breathing and flowing motions improve balance, strength, range of motion and reflexes, with each movement requiring a high degree of eye-hand coordination.

Play Catch

Playing catch is the simplest way to improve hand-eye coordination. Simply throwing backward and forward forces you to react to an object coming toward you. It’s easy to increase the difficulty: simply increase the speed of the throw or reduce the size of the ball.

Squash

Squash is played by hitting a ball against a wall at speed with yourself or other people. Catching the bounces and darting from side to side for a successful hit requires skill.

Head to the squash court or play it against the side of your house. Overall, it is one of the best options for improving hand-eye coordination.

Juggling

Mastering juggling can improve your coordination by giving you mastery over your peripheral field. When juggling, you’re looking at the point where the balls cross. Meanwhile, your brain is using that information to control your hands.

To add, getting the hang of juggling can be difficult, but starting with two beanbags, moving to three, and then switching to balls allows you to increase the difficulty gradually. You can also stand on a balance board while juggling to challenge yourself further.

Perform Eye Exercises

Basic eye exercises can also help you develop good hand-eye coordination. One of the most straightforward eye exercises is to take two similar objects and place one 18 inches away from you, with the other 10 feet away. Focus on the closer object for a few seconds and switch to the distant object.

Concentrate on the little details and keep moving back and forth. Quickly changing focus is vital in sports for noticing the opposition and catching passes from your teammates.

Darts

Playing darts is an excellent way to improve your hand-eye coordination. It requires you to look at the dart and the board in front of you. The movement forces your brain to register both at the same time.

Success at darts requires tremendous accuracy. Even the slightest mistake will send your projectile wayward. Practice dart drills at home by picking out smaller and smaller targets on the board until you miss.

Swimming

One of the best exercises to improve hand-eye coordination is swimming. It helps maintain stability, and the repetitive movements as part of this full-body exercise enhance the connection between mind and body.

There is no particular way to get better at eye-hand coordination while swimming. Practice different strokes and swim lengths of the pool. It should be no surprise that doctors recommend swimming for young people and seniors to keep them healthy and maintain their coordination.

Conclusion

To summarize, reaching your potential and performing at a high level requires more than speed and strength. Regular exercises designed to develop your coordination should form part of your daily routine. But it doesn’t stop there. Correct supplementation with high-quality eye vision supplements like MacuHealth gives your eyes the nutrients they need.

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Eye Health

Last Updated November 8, 2022

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

What supplements can you use to get better at golf?

Learning what your body needs to perform at its best and how to acquire it is critical to improving at the sport, especially as we understand how nutrition affects how we play the game. The conversation has shifted to BMI, joint flexibility, concentration drills, and selecting the best supplement for visual performance.

To help you hit ’em long and straight, we will cover the most vital supplements for golfers today.

How Can Supplements Help Golfers?

Golf supplements for recovery, physical conditioning, concentration and energy have become a critical component for many athletes’ regiments. Here are a few ways that they can help:

Improve Joint Pain and Mobility

Golf may appear to the average spectator as a low-key sport, but every golfer knows there’s more to it than meets the eye. Although golf does not require sprinting or tackling, you need stamina, accuracy, and hand-eye coordination. Golf swings have plenty of moving parts, and you don’t want them to strain against each other.

Many people use vitamins to help maintain joint health or treat existing pain. They work by lowering inflammation or preserving joint cartilage. And believe it or not, supplements can significantly enhance visual performance too.

Enhance Vision for Game Play

Golf requires great vision, especially if you want to trace your shot down the fairway, see better in bright, glaring sunlight, or read particularly tricky greens. Protecting our golf eyes from potentially hazardous light from the sun is also critical. In addition to the UV rays from sunlight that may injure our sight, blue light hidden in the sun’s rays can adversely affect our vision.

Improve Brain Function and Cognition

Golf is said to be a cerebral sport. While you can perform numerous drills and exercises to improve swing dynamics, depth perception, and your putting stroke, in the end, you’ll need to contend with your mind. It’s vital to pay attention to your concentration levels. Clinical investigations have demonstrated that certain amino acids may be used as brain fuel. They safeguard and enhance the function of brain cells. These amino acids also boost blood flow to the brain, which can help you pay attention for extended periods of time. Acetyl-L-Carnitine is the amino acid you’ll need for this.

7 Supplements for Golfers: What Should You Take?

Do you ever feel your golf swing isn’t as good as you’d like it to be? Is your golf vision not as sharp as you want it? Here are some supplements for golfers that may be beneficial.

Fish Oils

Fish oil is exceptionally beneficial to physical health. It’s one of the most significant sources of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which significantly improve vision and brain health. It will also help you increase your strength to drive the ball further and reduce inflammation in your joints so they’re not uncomfortable after a round of golf.

Calcium

A calcium supplement may benefit you with joint discomfort, especially knee pain. While you can obtain calcium through your food, particularly dark green veggies like kale, cabbage, and broccoli, you may not be getting enough in your diet.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Athletes, particularly golfers, can benefit from CBD. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory, so it can help you play with less pain in your joints, muscles, and ligaments. It can also boost cerebral blood flow, allowing you to focus and concentrate better on your game. It’s also high in omega-3 fatty acids, much like fish oil, so you can gain muscle and keep your joints healthy.

Vitamin D

If you experience joint discomfort, it might be due to a vitamin D deficiency. The symptoms are typical of a vitamin deficiency among golfers. Vitamin D is required for various biological functions, including calcium absorption. It is a vitamin that humans naturally produce when exposed to sunshine. Consider taking a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you require a boost. These may be obtained simply from your pharmacy or supermarket.

Amino Acids

Many golfers are aware of the mental component of the game and how critical it is to your golfing success. It’s crucial to focus while lining up a putt or calculating how hard to swing on a chip shot when you’re 50 yards out from the green. As a result, several professional golfers use amino acids as a supplement. They boost blood flow to your brain, improving your focus and attention span.

Glucosamine

You may strain the cartilage in your joints if you play a lot of golf. Glucosamine is a frequently prescribed vitamin to prevent this from occurring. It can also help to reduce joint inflammation. You’ll need to take the supplement for several months to see the effects.

MacuHealth

While there are sunglasses designed for golfers, these typically only serve as a patch and can alter the edges of your golf eye. If you want to get the most out of your game, you’ll want to increase macular pigment levels in your eyes and brain to improve visual and cognitive function.

MacuHealth improves your vision in low-light, foggy, or high-glare situations while reducing the time it takes to recover from extreme lighting conditions. Order MacuHealth today to give yourself an edge on the course!

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Clinical Studies

Last Updated October 24, 2022

Eye Health

Written by MacuHealth
Reviewed by Jim Stringham, Ph.D.

Eye floaters can meddle with your daily activities. Generally, the typical cause is the clumping of collagen fibers inside the vitreous body, the gel-like structure inside the eye. Glycation, a process in which the surface of collagen is oxidized and/or exposed to relatively high sugar levels, is linked as the cause. Subsequently, these clusters cast shadows on the retina and appear as squiggly lines, threadlike strands, cobwebs or rings.

However, there are several different types of eye floaters that we may experience throughout our lifetime. And with proper supplementation and nutrition, the condition is manageable, especially for collagen-based floaters. In order to help patients discern what they’re experiencing, we’ll look at these eye floaters and indicate which ones are manageable.

Embryonic Remnants

These types of eye floaters can form around the tenth week of pregnancy and occur when the hyaloid artery, which provides the eye with nutrients in the womb, pulls away from the lens. The process occasionally causes “debris” and is seen as floaters. These aren’t pieces of collagen from the vitreous but rather bits of the hyaloid artery and are not manageable with nutrition.

Asteroid Hyalosis

These types of eye floaters appear as white opacities in the vitreous, or stars shining in the night sky, and move around like typical floaters. They’re associated with age and are composed of calcium soaps, not collagen, and are not manageable with nutrition. Their cause is unknown.

Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD)

Floaters brought on by posterior vitreous detachment occur when the vitreous body physically pulls away from the posterior pole of the retina. This process causes relatively large, collagen-based floaters to detach and release into the vitreous humor.

What types of eye floaters can be managed?

The Floater Intervention Study (FLIES)¹showed that when the vitreous receives a continuous supply of antioxidant and enzymatic nutrients, the results showed a significant reduction in collagen-based floaters. These types of eye floaters are posterior vitreous detachment and glycation based.

The trusted scientists behind MacuHealth offer this patented nutrient blend under the name of VitreousHealth. It can be found online and through eye care professionals.

References

Ankamah et al. 2021. doi.org/10.1167/tvst.10.12.19