With age, problems with health inevitably begin. After fifty years, visual acuity in many people begins to decline. Most often this is due to the development of macular degeneration, in whichaffects the central part of the retinaeyes due to oxygen starvation.
Macular degeneration can lead to a person losing his central vision and can no longer read, work with small objects and drive a vehicle. But this disease can not lead to a complete loss of vision.
Content
- 1Definition of disease
- 2Causes
- 3Symptoms
- 4Possible complications
-
5Treatment with folk remedies
- 5.1Decoctions, teas
- 5.2Ointments, drops
- 5.3Compresses
- 6Prevention
- 7Video
- 8conclusions
Definition of disease
Macular degeneration or age-related macular degeneration is a disease that affects the central area of the retina (macula), which participates in providing vision.
The macula or yellow spot represents the central part of the retina.She is responsible for detailed vision. In this area, photoreceptors perceive light pulses, and nerve cells transmit these signals.
This disease is the main cause of vision impairment and blindness among people from the age of fifty and older. But in recent years there has been a tendency to develop macular degeneration at a younger age.
Vision is reduced due to macular degeneration, which is one of the main areas of the retina.
Degeneration can cause an intensive metabolism in the retina, which provokes the formation of free radicals, but only if the work of the antioxidant system is insufficient.Under the action of oxygen and light, non-cleavable druses (polymers) are formed, consisting of lipofuscin.Because of this, the adjacent layers of the retina are atrophied, and the number of pathological new vessels increases. Then the processes of scarring begin, as a result of which many photoreceptors of the retina are lost.
With macular degeneration, a rapid loss of central vision occurs and overall performance is lost.The severity of the disease depends on its shape.
There are two forms of macular degeneration:
-
Dry or non-exaggerated, atrophic.This is the most common form of the disease. It is diagnosed in eighty-five percent of cases. Vision falls relatively slowly. Sometimes dry macular degeneration can become wet. Stages of dry macular degeneration:
- Early. Drusus is not more than two. Symptoms of the disease there.
- Intermediate.Drusus becomes larger, they increase in size. A dark spot appears in the central zone. For comfortable reading, an additional light source is required.
- Expressive.The retina is destroyed. The dark spot grows and darkens. Read almost impossible
-
Wet or exudative, neovascular.It occurs in ten to fifteen percent of cases. Wet macular degeneration rapidly progresses and leads to a serious impairment of vision. Kinds:
- Hidden.Broken blood vessels are few, hemorrhages are almost invisible.
- Classical. Blood vessels increase. There is a scarring of the tissues of the eye. Reduces visual acuity.
Causes
The main reason for the development of macular degeneration is age. At the age of seventy-five years and older, every third person has signs of this disease.
It is worth noting that many have a hereditary predisposition to macular degeneration.
Degenerative changes in the retinal vessels can also cause macular degeneration, as they lead to oxygen starvation of tissues.
There are a number of risk factors that can weaken the natural defense mechanisms and contribute to the development of retinal macular degeneration.These include:
- Race. Most often, macular degeneration occurs in people belonging to the Caucasoid race.
- Floor. The risk of developing macular degeneration in women is higher than that of men.
- Hereditary predisposition.People whose close relatives have age-related macular degeneration are more likely to develop this disease.
- Gene mutations.A greater likelihood of development of macular degeneration is present in the presence of changes in certain genes (gene CFH, genes BF and C2, gene LOC).
- Cardiovascular diseases.It is proved that with atherosclerosis the risk of developing this disease increases threefold, and in the presence of hypertension - seven times.
- Smoking. This bad habit increases the risk of retinal macular degeneration.
- Direct exposure to sunlight.
- Excess body weight.
- Unbalanced nutrition.
- Bright iris.
- Cataract.Surgical removal of cataracts can cause disease in people who already have changes in the macular area.
Symptoms
Macular degeneration slowly but irreversibly leads to loss of vision. It proceeds painlessly.
At the initial stages it is possible to suspect macular degeneration for the following symptoms:
- The appearance of dark spots in the central vision.
- Loss of image clarity, its distortion.
- Deterioration of perception of colors.
- Sharp deterioration of vision in the dark.
The main symptom of dry macular degeneration is blurred vision. It is caused by the destruction of photosensitive cells, as a result of which central vision in becomes fuzzy. The fewer cells in the macula normally work, the more problems with vision.
When the photosensitive cells become very small, a dark spot appears in the middle of the field of vision, which increases with time.
The main sign of wet macular degeneration is the curvature of straight lines.This is due to the fact that the fluid swirling from the blood vessels collects under the macula and lifts it, distorting the image of objects.In this case, a dark spot may also appear.
The simplest test for determining the presence of macular degeneration is the Amsler test.The Amsler grid consists of intersecting straight lines with a central black dot in the middle.People who have this disease, some lines may be blurred or wavy, and dark spots appear in the field of vision.
Possible complications
Macular degeneration is not the cause of complete loss of vision. Because of her, only the central vision can disappear.
This disease affects the quality of life badly, making it impossible to work, read, watch TV and so on.Even in the everyday life, a weakened central vision makes people feel helpless.
Treatment with folk remedies
Folk remedies can be used as a supplement to the basic treatment of macular degeneration.
Decoctions, teas
- Oat broth.Rinse the whole grain of oats (volume - half-liter pot), soak it for four hours. After this, drain the water, pour the grain into a three-liter pan, add water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Brew for half an hour. Then strain and put into the refrigerator. Drink the broth warm (up to five glasses a day). You can add grated blueberries, currants, aronia or a little honey.
- Infusion of calendula.Pour a glass of boiling water one tablespoon of calendula flowers, insist fifteen minutes. Cool, strain and drink three times a day for a quarter of a glass. Simultaneously with internal reception it is possible to drip on two drops of the infusion in eyes. The course of treatment lasts six months.
- Aloe and mummy infusion.In a hundred milliliters of aloe juice, dissolve fifty grams of mummy. Drink ten milliliters of infusion twice a day and drip one drop into the eyes. The course of treatment lasts ten days.
- Decoction of needles, dogrose and onion husks.All components are ground and prevented. Proportion of ingredients 2. For one unit, take a tablespoon. Boil the broth for ten minutes, pour a liter of water. Drink every day and a half liter of broth.
Ointments, drops
- Drops of cumin.One tablespoon of cumin pour a glass of boiling water. Cook on low heat for no more than five minutes. Add a teaspoon of cornflower.Mix and insist for five minutes. To drip on two times a day.
- Drops of celandine.One teaspoon of finely chopped celandine pour a hundred milliliters of water. Hold the fire for only a few seconds, insist. Strain and put into the refrigerator. Drip three times a day for three drops in one month.
- Drops with goat's milk.Mix the same amount of milk and water. Bury in the eye one drop. Wear a dark bandage over your eyes and rest for thirty minutes. Drip for a week.
Compresses
- Compresses from the lily of the valley and nettle. One third of a glass of nettle and a teaspoon of finely chopped lilies of the valley, pour a glass of water, add a half-spoonful of soda. Insist nine hours in a dark and dry place. Compress do twice a day.
- Leeches. Saliva leeches contains useful substances that reduce intraocular pressure, reduce pain and improve blood circulation.
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.Prevention
Since there are no effective ways to treat macular degeneration, close attention should be paid to the methods of preventing this disease. They include:
- Refusal from bad habits (smoking).
- Use sunglasses and hats with wide margins in bright sunlight.
- Admission of vitamins for the eyes (on the recommendation of a doctor). For example, a vitamin-mineral complex with lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamins C, E, zinc and selenium.It is proved that such a composition prevents the development of age-related changes in the retina of the eye, allows you to enjoy sharp eyesight even for the elderly.
- Moderate physical activity.
- Regular examination with an ophthalmologist.
It is proved that people who eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables every day suffer from macular degeneration much less often.
Vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins, nutrients, microelements and antioxidants.Many of them contain lutein and zeaxanthin. These substances are very useful for the prevention of macular degeneration.Vitamin C, tocopherol, selenium and zinc are also very useful. They nourish, restore and protect the tissues of the eyes.
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conclusions
Begin to take care of your vision as soon as possible. Do prophylaxis now. And of course, special attention should be given to the issue of macular degeneration to older people, since they are at risk of developing this disease. Remember that with timely treatment, the chance to keep your eyesight is much higher.
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