What is Macular Degeneration?

Exact causes for AMD are still not known but it is thought that some things increase your chances of developing AMD:

Your age: AMD develops as people grow older and is most often seen in people over the age of 65, although it can develop in people who are in their 40s and 50s.

Your gender: more women have AMD than men, probably because women tend to live longer than men.

Your genes: some genes have been identified which seem to be linked to the development of AMD in some people. This has been discovered by looking at families with more than one member who has AMD, but not all AMD is thought to be inherited.

Smoking: smoking greatly increases your risk of developing AMD. Studies show that stopping smoking can reduce your risk of developing AMD.

Sunlight: some studies suggest that exposure to high levels of sunlight (particularly the UV light contained in sunlight) throughout your life can increase your risk of developing AMD. Wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from the UV light in sunlight is a good idea for everyone throughout their life.

What you eat: a number of studies have looked at diet as a risk factor for someone developing AMD. At the moment there isn't agreement on how much of a risk factor diet is. There is some evidence that vitamins A, C and E and zinc may help to slow the progression of AMD in people who already have the condition.

Although you cannot change your age or genes, current thinking is that protecting your eyes from the sun, eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and stopping smoking may all help to keep your eyes as healthy as possible.

Unfortunately, because the exact cause of AMD is not known you may develop this condition even if you don't have any of these risk factors.

(courtesy of RNIB)