MACULAR disease is the leading cause of blindness and severe vision loss in Australia, and residents of the Swan Hill and Gannawarra communities are being urged to take action to protect their sight during Macula Month in May.
Macula Month runs from May 1-31, and is an initiative of Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA), the peak national body representing the macular disease community, their families and carers.
The most common macular disease is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a chronic and progressive disease of the macula, which can lead to loss of central vision.
One focus of the Macula Month campaign is Check My Macula. This is a short online quiz that reveals your individual risk factors for macular disease in less than a minute, and helps you learn what to do.
“One in seven Australians over the age of 50 – about 1.3 million people – have some evidence of AMD but may not know it because the earlier stages of disease typically have little or no impact on vision,” Jenalle Pye, from Swan Hill and Kerang Optical, warned.
“If you have a parent, brother or sister with AMD, you are at increased risk of AMD. You are also at a higher risk if you smoke.
“Another major risk factor is age. AMD primarily affects those over the age of 50 and the incidence increases as people get older.”
AMD can be diagnosed with a comprehensive eye examination that includes a macula check.
“Because AMD primarily affects older people, many wrongly confuse symptoms of the disease as normal signs of ageing,” Ms Pye said.
The most common symptoms of AMD include:
Difficulty in reading or doing any other activity that requires fine vision;
Distortion, where straight lines appear wavy or bent;
Problems distinguishing faces;
Dark patches appearing in the centre of your vision.
“You should always check with your eye health professional about any changes in your vision,” Jenalle said.
Although AMD may not become apparent until later in life, preventative measures can be started much earlier.
Our top tips for optimal macular health are:
1. Visit an optometrist once every two years if you are 50 years and over (every year if over 65), or as advised by your eye health professional, to look for early signs of AMD;
2. Don’t smoke – smokers are at 3 to 4 times higher risk of AMD than non-smokers;
3. Exercise regularly and eat a macula friendly diet – fish two or three times a week, dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit daily, and a handful of nuts once a week can help reduce risk of AMD;
4. Protect your eyes from sunlight exposure;
5. If you have signs of AMD, monitor changes in your vision by using an Amsler grid. An Amsler grid is a simple tool available free from Swan Hill and Kerang Optical, or Macular Disease Foundation Australia.
For more information on age-retaled macula degeneration and to take the quiz, visit mdfoundation.com.au, or contact the team at Swan Hill and Kerang Optical.
