Posts Tagged ‘zeaxanthin’
Antioxidants Play a Key Role in Eye Health
Are you in danger of losing your eyesight as you age? Over 25% of Americans over 65 have macular degeneration. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) affects more Americans than glaucoma and cataracts combined. As you grow older, your risk increases dramatically.
AMD is a deterioration of a portion of the retina. The retina is the backside of the eye. It records images and sends them to the brain. The central portion of the retina is the macula.
The macula plays major roles in these features of vision:
- Focusing vision
- Recognizing colors
- Recognizing faces
- Reading
- Driving a car
- Seeing fine details
In AMD, this critical structure of vision is gradually destroyed. There are two types of macular degeneration: “wet” and “dry.” “Dry” macular degeneration makes up about 90% of all cases. A yellow substance called drusen collects under the macula. The drusen thins and dries the macula, causing deterioration.
“Wet” macular degeneration affects only a minority of people suffering from AMD. In this case, blood vessels grow abnormally under the macula. These blood vessels eventually leak. The macula bulges, causing vision loss.
