Introduction – Dry macular degeneration
The “dry form” is the most common, besides there is also the “wet macular degeneration“. The diseased area of the retina, is a region in the back of the eye and densely covered with photoreceptors. Therefore the macula is the place in the retina which enables us the sharpest vision.
In the industrialized countries macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in patients over 50 years. At the beginning of the dry macular degeneration the patients can recognize small letters or small objects nearby less well. If the disease progresses then the vision becomes blurred and there are grey or empty areas in the middle of the visual field.
Straight lines are perceived as wavy or curved and in some patients a blind spot develops in the middle of the visual field while the vision around it remains intact. The dry macular degeneration can change into a wet macular degeneration due to changes in the eye. For this reason frequent eye checks are recommended after the diagnosis of the dry form.
A regular independent eye test with the “Amsler Grid” is suitable to detect the wet form of macular degeneration because then changes of the vision are quickly noticeable. According to a study published in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology in October 2001, it is possible that regular use of certain dietary supplements can slow the progression of the disease. For example, the risk of progressive vision loss could be reduced by approximately 25% if patients took a combination of vitamin C and E, beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A), iron and zinc.
According to scientific studies, foods rich in antioxidants contribute significantly to maintaining the health of the retina. An income of food auxiliary means, which contain Vitamin C and Vitamin E, beta Carotin and zinc together with iron in a higher dose, can have likewise positive effects with endangerment for a Makuladegeneration. The positive effect was determined in the study by the following daily dose: Meanwhile there are several preparations on the market, which largely contain the doses tested in the ARED study, e.g. : Cigarette smoking should be avoided, as this increases the risk of macular degeneration significantly.
- Vitamin C 500 mg
- Vitamin E 400 I. E.
- Beta-carotene 15 mg
- Zinc 80 mg
- Lutax AMD
- Ocuvite PreserVision®
- Orthomol AMD Extra
The dry macular degeneration usually progresses very slowly, no matter whether it is treated with dietary supplements or not. A normal life is therefore normally possible for the affected person, especially if only one eye is affected. Because the prognosis of the wet macular degeneration is much worse and a loss of vision is achieved very quickly a control of the transformation of a dry into a wet macular degeneration is very important.
Only 10% of all diseases belong to the macular degeneration. But in 90% of the cases this form of macular degeneration is afflicted with severe loss of vision and has to be treated. The dry form of macular degeneration is a destruction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).
The RPE is a layer in the retinal tissue which is responsible for the decomposition of used, rejected photoreceptor cells and for the vitamin A metabolism. Metabolites are deposited in the RPE so that the pigment epithelium then loses photoreceptors at the macula (site of sharpest vision) and loses pigment. The uniform red color of the macula in a healthy state becomes irregular and fatty deposits (drusen) form in the retina. These are recognizable as yellowish spots during the examination.
