Prevention of Blindness Society...

MACULAR DEGENERATION NETWORK NEWS

OCTOBER 1999

You Are Unique

Everyone is unique is the message that Karl Csaky, M.D., a National Eye Institute investigator, delivered to an audience of 200 at Sibley Memorial Hospital on Saturday, September 25. Dr. Csaky emphasized that each person's macular degeneration (AMD) is an individual case--like a fingerprint or DNA.

Macular degeneration is difficult to identify in its early stage, and it is not known what causes the progression from mild to severe. The symptoms of the disease in its early stage show a lot of variability, whereas in its advanced stages the disease is more uniform. One thing that has been determined is that AMD is not necessarily a genetic disease. Studies show that if one family member has AMD, other relatives are not predestined to get it. The aging process, however, does heighten the risk of AMD.

Dr. Csaky outlined some changes a person can make to possibly minimize or slow down macular degeneration:

• Smoking has been proven to increase the affects of macular degeneration.
• A diet high in cholesterol may speed up macular degeneration, so a low-fat diet is suggested.
• In some cases, exposure to the sun heightens the affects of macular degeneration.
• Vitamins help some that suffer from AMD. Each person absorbs vitamins differently, so this therapy is not absolute.

Dr. Csaky presented a hopeful message that recent genetic research has narrowed the cause of macular degeneration to a cluster of cells.

If you would like to participate in the National Eye Institute's macular degeneration study, contact Katherine in Dr. Csaky's office at (301) 496-3469.

© 2000 Prevention of Blindness Society of the Metropolitan Area, Washington, DC. All Rights Reserved.