Just a general person with a love of Photography, not trained in any way but just love to capture moments in life and nature as they happen :-)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is now the leading cause of vision loss among people over 65 in North America, Europe, and Japan. Eyesight’s Macular Degeneration Center offers all available therapies, including medical, surgical and laser treatments.
The macula is the central portion of the retina, which is the light sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. It is responsible for the sharp, central vision required for reading, driving, and seeing fine details. When the macula is affected by AMD, the change may be abrupt and very noticeable, or so gradual that it is not noticed, especially if only one eye is affected. Since AMD affects only the central vision, complete blindness is not a result of AMD.
The risk of developing AMD increases with age. Those over 75 have a one in three chance of developing the disease. In addition to age, risk factors include smoking, obesity, being Caucasian, being female, and having a family history of AMD.
Early symptoms of macular degeneration may include blurred distance vision, difficulty reading, a dark spot in or near the central vision and distortion of straight objects. Since AMD is painless and the vision changes can be subtle, getting regular eye examinations from your eye doctor is critical.
If AMD is suspected, a comprehensive eye examination is the first step, including a thorough history, slit lamp examination, various forms of vision testing, as well as other special tests to evaluate the macula. The latter usually includes fluorescein angiography, a photographic evaluation of the retinal circulation. In addition, other imaging studies of the retina may be helpful.
There are two forms of macular degeneration. Dry AMD, the most common form, involves a slow, progressive deterioration, often leading to atrophy of the macula. Wet, or exudative AMD is responsible for 90% of the vision loss associated with the disease. Wet AMD is caused by the growth of new abnormal blood vessels beneath the retina which frequently leak, bleed, and form scar tissue which can destroy the overlying retina. Wet AMD is considered to be advanced AMD and is more severe than the dry form. Since the dry form of AMD can progress to the wet form, dry AMD should be monitored closely for signs of progression. There is no way to predict if or when the dry form of AMD will progress to the wet form.
The Baltimore and Washington D.C. area is currently in the midst of a brutal heat wave, but now is the time to start thinking about fall and football! The NFL training camps will be opening up next week for teams across the country. The Washington Redskins and the World Champions, Baltimore Ravens start July 24th. The regular football season starts the week of September 5th.
The Washington Redskins will have their training camp in a brand new state-of-the-art facility in Richmond, Virginia. The Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center just opened this summer with a community park, outdoor amphitheater, walking trails and full health center for the athletes. The team have 2 practices per day that will be open to the public. Fans will be able to meet and get autographs and pictures with the players, depending on the daily schedule. There will also be special fan events and giveaways during the training camp, which runs July 25th to August 16th.
The Redskins hope to build on the momentum of their 2012 season. If quarterback, Robert Griffin III, is healthy and recovered from his 2012 season ending injury, then the team could make another run for the playoffs. The 2013 team is pretty intact with a majority of the players returning from the 2012 team. The team had some solid draft picks that will help the team this year. The Redskins open the regular football season at home against rivals, The Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, September 9th. The Baltimore Ravens will have their training camp at Under Armor Performance Center in Owings Mills, Maryland.
This facility is also home to the Ravens executive offices. Two hundred lucky fans can enter a lottery to view one of the 13 open training camp sessions at the camp. There will also be three open and free training camps at off-site stadiums in the area. The team will practice on August 4th at the Navy & Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. On August 11th, there will be free training camp sessions all day at M & T Stadium. To close out training camp on August 18th, there will be a free session at Mustang Stadium at Stevenson University . The Ravens are hoping to repeat their 2012 winning season run to the Super Bowl. They are the only team in the NFL to reach the post season for the past 5 years. Quarterback, Joe Flacco, signed a new deal with the Ravens in the off-season making him the 2nd highest paid quarterback in NFL history.
There have been a lot of player changes over the off-season as well, including the retirement of their legendary linebacker, Ray Lewis, and center, Matt Brik. Other free agents left the Ravens for other teams. However, the Ravens did get some good players from free agency with the hopes to be a better defensive team in 2013. Good Luck to both the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens with training camp and the 2013 football season. We hope to be writing again this year about the teams going to the post season!