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Five steps can help prevent the leading cause of blindness in Canada

TORONTO, September 21 – Contrary to popular belief, blindness can, in many cases, be prevented or delayed, according to the AMD Alliance International, a global coalition working to raise awareness about macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in Canada. Making lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and eating a proper diet can make a big difference in preventing AMD, while taking a self-exam called the Amsler Grid, prevents blindness by detecting the disease early.

"In the last few years, research is pointing more and more to preventive steps people can take to reduce their risk of macular degeneration,” says Dr. Bill Stell, Director of Research Programs of The Foundation Fighting Blindness. “There’s no guarantee, but there certainly are some things you can do to protect your sight and reduce the chances of getting this disease."

September 21-27, 2008 is Macular Degeneration Awareness Week in Canada. To mark the week, the AMD Alliance International is urging the public to adopt five steps to protect their vision.

  1. Quit smoking: Smoking has been linked to many diseases, but few people know that eye disease is one of them! Macular degeneration is up to seven times more likely among smokers, and the more you smoke, the greater your risk.i Even if you have been smoking for a long time, you can reduce your future risk by stopping now.
  2. Eat well: Diets rich in vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and the mineral zinc resulted in a 35% lower risk of developing macular degeneration in people over the age of 55.ii Diets rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, found mainly in dark green leafy vegetables, may also help protect against macular degeneration. Also, watch your fat and cholesterol intake. A high-fat, high-cholesterol diet can lead to plaque deposits in blood vessels in the central macula region of your eyes. This can hamper blood flow and increase your risk of macular degeneration.
  3. Limit sun exposure: Some recent scientific studies show that excessive exposure, particularly to ultraviolet (UV) light, is a risk factor for AMD. Wear UV-blocking sunglasses and a hat to protect your eyes from bright sunlight, even in the winter.
  4. Take a self eye exam: The Amsler Grid is a simple, self-exam that you can do periodically at home to test for macular degeneration. It takes just 30 seconds to do and can literally save your sight. Detecting the disease early means people can receive sight saving treatment. Download a free copy at www.ffb.ca, click Patient Resources, AMD Centre. Remember to follow the instructions carefully.
  5. Visit an eye care expert: Macular degeneration can be present in the eye without any symptoms, but with regular eye exams, your eye doctor can detect and treat the disease, preventing blindness. You should have an eye exam at least every two years after age 50, and more frequently as you get older, especially if you have other risk factors for the disease.

"Unfortunately, some risk factors for macular degeneration – such as age and genetics – cannot be changed," says Dr. Stell. "For people with those risk factors, it is even more important to take steps to reduce the risk factors that they can change."

The Foundation Fighting Blindness and the AMD Alliance International encourage people who are over 50 or who have macular degeneration in their families to pay particular attention to the steps above.

About Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a degenerative disease that affects the macula, a specialized region located in the central part of the retina. It is responsible for central vision, which allows people to read, drive and recognize faces. AMD causes more than 30 million new cases of visual impairment worldwide each year.

i Schmidt et al. Cigarette Smoking and LOC387715 in AMD. Am J Hum Genet. 2006 Mar;78(5):852-86.

ii van Leeuwen et al. The Dietary Intake of Antioxidants and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Study. JAMA 2005.

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