Friday, April 1, 2011

The Latest Macular Degeneration News Clips

It's very important to keep up with the latest news on anything that has to do with your health. If you are a person who has Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD), then you are wise to read all of the latest macular degeneration news clips you can find. This is a disease that is becoming more and more common as the "Baby Boomers" reach middle age. Many news articles (both printed and on the internet) contain useful advise about new treatments that are being tried for ARMD.

Some eye specialists are recommending special eyeglass lenses for their ARMD patients. Their primary goal is to make the best of what's left of the patient's eyesight. They prescribe lenses that provide adequate magnification and that maximize the use of the patient's peripheral (side) vision. Along with wearing special glasses, the doctor often recommends certain techniques for the patient to follow. He or she may advise the patient to hold their head at a certain angle so that the image being viewed is seen from the healthy part of the retina and not from the damaged section. Each person will have to determine for themselves which position works best for them.

New drugs are also being tried for people who are suffering from the wet form of ARMD. Wet ARMD is the most severe form of the disease and is the least common. Eye specialists are trying drugs like Avastin, Lucentis and Macugen in an attempt to offer some relief for their patients. These drugs are injected directly into the eye and work to stop any new blood vessels from leaking into the macula and retina.

Many eye specialists recommend special vitamin supplements to help in controlling and treating ARMD. A study (called AREDS) was done by the National Eye Institute. The study looked closely at ARMD patients and found that many were able to retain some of their vision by taking vitamins C, E, zinc, copper and beta-carotene. The patients were those suffering from the less severe dry ARMD that hadn't yet spread to the advanced wet stage.

All of these treatments are part of the latest macular degeneration news that anyone suffering from this debilitating disease will benefit from.

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