Some communities in Japan did not develop macular degeneration when people became old, but as soon as they started eating Western food the condition started to occur. A healthy lifestyle helps to prevent age related macular degeneration. Even stopping at the age of 80 will reduce the risk of developing the disease. The authors cannot emphasise enough how important it is to make these lifestyle changes if you can. We inherit these from our parents.
Genes are the genetic information that tells our body what chemicals to make.
The genes that may cause macular degeneration probably control the way used-up chemicals are removed from the eye. If you have macular degeneration the used-up chemicals stay in the retina. If you don't have the condition, these chemicals are removed from the retina into the blood stream. These chemicals then stop other chemicals leaving or entering the photoreceptors. Some genes may act as 'gates', so that diet or smoking or high blood pressure that is not harmful in some people, may be harmful in others.