Awareness is extremely low. The fact is, however, that AMD and other diseases that cause vision impairment in the elderly do cost money, primarily from increased need for nursing home care and assisted living. In addition, AMD has a disabling ripple effect in seniors. With vision loss, falls and fractures increase, exercise decreases, leaving the person at risk for diabetes, obesity and heart disease. The position I will present today is that changes in diet and other lifestyle habits should be a priority as we combat this disease and attempt to keep our health care costs under control.
Numerous studies are under way to find a cure.
Some forms of AMD can be treated with lasers but, at best, we can only halt progressive loss of vision. Promising phototherapy techniques are under development but can only be used in a small number of cases. By the time a person is diagnosed with AMD in their 60s or 70s, the disease has been developing for decades. Prevention of AMD must involve synergy between changes in both dietary intake and lifestyle. Increased risk of AMD has been linked to cigarette smoking, excess alcohol intake and lifetime sun exposure, in addition to genetics, gender and light colored irises.