Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month

February is Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Month, a gentle reminder of the importance of caring for your eye health now to preserve your future vision. Scheduling regular eye exams at Sites Vision Clinic in Clarksville is a good start in caring for your eyes. During routine eye exams, your Clarksville optometrist will check for signs of eye conditions like AMD so measures can be taken to protect your vision. Here’s what you should know about this condition.

Understanding AMD

AMD is an eye condition that affects the macula of your eye, that’s the small area located in the middle of your eye’s retina. The macula is responsible for central vision. When you have AMD, the macula slowly deteriorates, blurring your central vision. This makes it difficult to see things directly in front of you. The deterioration happens slowly and painlessly, so you may not even notice it until you’ve lost part of your central vision.

Over time, you may start experiencing these AMD symptoms:  

• blind spots in your line of vision

• difficulty distinguishing straight lines from those that are curvy

• difficulty reading due to blurred vision

• dark spots in the middle of your vision

The sooner your optometrist detects this disease, the sooner you can get treatment. Professional optometry care can help preserve your vision.

AMD Risk Factors

Age is perhaps the greatest risk factor for this disease. Over 2 million Americans over the age of 50 have some form of AMD. If you smoke, have hyperopia, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease, you’re more susceptible to developing this disease. AMD is also more prevalent in women and Caucasians as opposed to other races.

AMD Treatment

There’s no cure for AMD, but your optometry specialist can recommend measures to slow down its progression. Depending on the severity of your condition, treatments range from taking AREDS vitamins to macular surgery. By discussing treatment options with your eye doctor, you can get a better idea of how to manage your condition.

See Your Clarksville Eye Doctor for AMD Optometry Treatment

To test for AMD or other eye diseases, contact Sites Vision Clinic in Clarksville at 931-614-0028.