Macular Week is organised by the Macular Society each year to raise awareness of eye health and macular conditions, and to increase public knowledge on how to protect against macular degeneration. This year, Macular Week falls between 24-30th June.
What is the Macula?
Located at the back of the eye on the retina, the macula provides sharp, central vision and is made up of millions of light-sensing cells. The retina turns light into electrical signals, which are in turn transmitted to the brain, where they are translated into the images we see when we read, write, drive, and how we recognise people and places. If the macula is damaged, central vision becomes blurred, distorted and sometimes darkens.
What is Macular Degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition where cells in the retina begin to die off, leading to central vision loss. AMD is one of the biggest causes of sight loss in the developed world. Most common in people over 60, AMD is painless, which makes the early signs of deterioration very difficult to detect. An average of 200 new cases are diagnosed every day.
Dry AMD is the most common form of AMD and involves thinning of the macular tissue. Dry AMD accounts for 90% of cases and is usually detected through a build-up of yellow spots on the retina, which are thought to be deteriorating macular tissue.
Wet AMD is rare but where this occurs, often as a result of untreated dry AMD, the body attempts to build new blood vessels underneath the macula, causing severe damage to central vision due to blood deposits and scarring.
Macular degeneration is usually age-related but research also shows that it can be a genetic condition.
How to take care of your Maculae
There is no known cure for macular degeneration but regular exercise, a balanced diet, high levels of personal hygiene, and avoiding smoking can help to improve the long term health of your eyes and prolong the quality of your vision. Specific steps such as a diet high in fruit and vegetables, the avoidance of UV exposure to the eyes and regular sight tests (every two years for the average person) can also be taken to help prevent AMD.
For more information about macular degeneration and protecting your eyes from AMD, go to the Macular Society’s homepage.
If you’re looking to buy a new pair of varifocal glasses, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a handy guide to explain what varifocal glasses are and when you might need them. What are varifocal lenses? Varifocal glasses (sometimes referred to as progressive lenses or multifocals) use lenses that are made with …
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Whether it’s choosing the right shape, measuring your PD or inputting your prescription, we know that buying glasses online can sometimes be confusing, even daunting, but trust us, after you’ve done it once you’ll never go back. There are countless benefits to buying your eyewear online, from convenience and choice, to cost savings and on-tap …
Screen-time fatigue anyone? While many of us are well used to spending eight hours a day looking at our screens for work, we may be less used to looking at that screen from the sofa, a makeshift desk on the breakfast bar, or from a panic-bought chair that’s far from fit for purpose. Working from …
Protecting Your Eyes Against Macular Degeneration
Macular Week is organised by the Macular Society each year to raise awareness of eye health and macular conditions, and to increase public knowledge on how to protect against macular degeneration. This year, Macular Week falls between 24-30th June.
What is the Macula?
Located at the back of the eye on the retina, the macula provides sharp, central vision and is made up of millions of light-sensing cells. The retina turns light into electrical signals, which are in turn transmitted to the brain, where they are translated into the images we see when we read, write, drive, and how we recognise people and places. If the macula is damaged, central vision becomes blurred, distorted and sometimes darkens.
What is Macular Degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition where cells in the retina begin to die off, leading to central vision loss. AMD is one of the biggest causes of sight loss in the developed world. Most common in people over 60, AMD is painless, which makes the early signs of deterioration very difficult to detect. An average of 200 new cases are diagnosed every day.
Dry AMD is the most common form of AMD and involves thinning of the macular tissue. Dry AMD accounts for 90% of cases and is usually detected through a build-up of yellow spots on the retina, which are thought to be deteriorating macular tissue.
Wet AMD is rare but where this occurs, often as a result of untreated dry AMD, the body attempts to build new blood vessels underneath the macula, causing severe damage to central vision due to blood deposits and scarring.
Macular degeneration is usually age-related but research also shows that it can be a genetic condition.
How to take care of your Maculae
There is no known cure for macular degeneration but regular exercise, a balanced diet, high levels of personal hygiene, and avoiding smoking can help to improve the long term health of your eyes and prolong the quality of your vision. Specific steps such as a diet high in fruit and vegetables, the avoidance of UV exposure to the eyes and regular sight tests (every two years for the average person) can also be taken to help prevent AMD.
For more information about macular degeneration and protecting your eyes from AMD, go to the Macular Society’s homepage.
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