The macula is the central region in the back of the eye responsible for our sharpest vision (used for reading and seeing fine detail). Macular degeneration is a disease process affecting layers in the back of the eye that causes a decrease or loss of this central vision. There are two forms of ARMD. The most common is the dry form. This type is less severe and makes up 90% of patients with ARMD. The wet form is more aggressive with more vision loss. Here, abnormal vessels grow and leak fluid under the retina. Research has found that antioxidant vitamins and zinc decrease the progression of ARMD in some patients. The wet form is treated with laser surgery or injection of a medication to stop the abnormal blood vessel growth.

This is a progressive loss of vision due to a disease process affecting a structure in the back of the eye known as the optic nerve. This structure is responsible for carrying visual information to the brain. Vision loss starts in the periphery and if left untreated can result in total blindness. Treatment for glaucoma includes lowering the pressure inside the eye. This can be done with daily use of eye drops, a laser, or surgery. Early detection and treatment is crucial for preserving vision. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends screening visits for glaucoma for anyone over 55 years of age, or anyone with a family history of glaucoma.

Diabetes attacks the small blood vessels of the entire body. When the blood sugar is not well controlled it can damage blood vessels in the back of the eye (the retina). These blood vessels can leak fluid and cause swelling. They can also become too weak to supply the proper amount of oxygen and nutrients to the retina. There are two types of diabetic retinopathy. The most common is nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. This form ranges from mild to severe and can progress into proliferative diabetic retinopathy. This form involves new blood vessel growth (neovascularization) of the retina. These vessels are extremely weak and grow in irregular patterns. The blood vessels leak and produce scar tissue that has the potential to cause severe vision loss. Excellent blood glucose control has been proven to lower the chance of diabetic retinopathy.

This is an extremely common condition affecting over 20 million Americans. With this condition the eyes usually feel tired, gritty, and irritated. Another symptom can be excess tearing due to an imbalance in the composition of the tear film. There are many causes such as aging, hormone changes, certain medications, autoimmune diseases, smoking, and environmental factors (extended computer use, dust, wind, and air conditioners). Treatments include artificial tears, prescription eye drops, and punctual occlusion. Punctal occlusion is a simple procedure where the doctor inserts a very tiny plug into the area where the tears drain. This keeps more tears on the surface of the eye.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens (a clear structure inside the eye). It usually develops as a normal aging process. There are several different types of cataracts depending on which part of the lens is affected. Some of the first symptoms of cataracts include glare and poor night vision (often noticed while driving). As the cataract progresses vision gets worse and reading and driving can become difficult. Treatment involves removing the cataract and placing a clear lens (intraocular lens) in its place. There are many different lens options available depending on your visual needs. The newer technology lenses can even let people see certain zones of vision without glasses after cataract surgery! –

Lipid signaling is dysregulated in many diseases with vascular pathology, including cancer, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, and age-related macular degeneration. We have previously demonstrated that diets enriched in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) effectively reduce pathological retinal neovascularization in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, in part through metabolic products that suppress microglial-derived tumor necrosis factor-α. To better understand the protective effects of ω-3 PUFAs, we examined the relative importance of major lipid metabolic pathways and their products in contributing to this effect. ω-3 PUFA diets were fed to four lines of mice deficient in each key lipid-processing enzyme (cyclooxygenase 1 or 2, or lipoxygenase 5 or 12/15), retinopathy was induced by oxygen exposure; only loss of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) abrogated the protection against retinopathy of dietary ω-3 PUFAs. This protective effect was due to 5-LOX oxidation of the ω-3 PUFA lipid docosahexaenoic acid to 4-hydroxy-docosahexaenoic acid (4-HDHA). 4-HDHA directly inhibited endothelial cell proliferation and sprouting angiogenesis via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), independent of 4-HDHA’s anti-inflammatory effects. Our study suggests that ω-3 PUFAs may be profitably used as an alternative or supplement to current anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment for proliferative retinopathy and points to the therapeutic potential of ω-3 PUFAs and metabolites in other diseases of vasoproliferation. It also suggests that cyclooxygenase inhibitors such as aspirin and ibuprofen (but not lipoxygenase inhibitors such as zileuton) might be used without losing the beneficial effect of dietary ω-3 PUFA.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/04/12/healthwatch-vitamin-d-might-help-prevent-macular-degeneration/