Age Related Macular Degeneration

Antioxidant and pigment supplements are thought to be ineffective for the “wet” form of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) although very helpful for the “dry” form.

That view is now changing …..

Simply Vital Case Study

An elderly customer was diagnosed with the “wet” form of AMD in November 2010. She then started taking 2 VitalMACULA capsules daily and when she attended her follow up appointment at Sunderland eye hospital in February 2011, all signs  of her AMD had disappeared!

Her consultant had expected to see a deterioration in her condition but instead could not find any sign of the disease!

This is only one case of course, but it certainly challenges current assumptions about “wet” AMD and treatment options.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) tends to affect people over 50 resulting in loss of vision in the centre of the visual field (the macula) from damage to the retina. Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognise faces, although enough peripheral vision remains to allow other activities of daily life.

In the “dry” (non-exudative) form, cellular debris known as drusen accumulates behind the retina which can then become detached.

In the “wet” (exudative) form, which is the more severe form, blood vessels grow behind the retina also causing it to become detached. Treatment usually consists of laser coagulation of these vessels or drugs that stop and sometimes reverse blood vessel growth.

The “dry” form of advanced AMD, results from atrophy to the retinal pigment epithelial layer below the retina, which causes vision loss through loss of photoreceptors in the central part of the eye.

Neovascular or exudative AMD, the “wet” form of advanced AMD, causes vision loss due to abnormal blood vessel growth leading to blood and protein leakage below the macula and accounts for 10% or so of patients with macular degeneration. Bleeding, leaking, and scarring from these blood vessels eventually causes irreversible damage to the photoreceptors and rapid vision loss if left untreated.

Treatment options

No medical or surgical treatment exists for “dry” AMD, however experts agree that supplements with high doses of the antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin may slow its progression and improve visual acuity.

For “wet” AMD, drugs such as Lucentis (ranibizumab) aimed at preventing the growth of new blood vessels are injected monthly into the eyes.

Why is VitalMACULA effective against AMD?

VitalMACULA has an exceptional array of nutrients vital for eye health; amino acids, vitamins, minerals and the pigment molecules lutein, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll, carotenes and phycocyanin, so it is likely that this broad and potent spectrum of nutrients and pigments will support eye health and in the case of this 85 year old lady, helped the eye to heal.

With the variable success rate of the drug (Lucentis) and the side effects experienced which include: discomfort and increased tears in the affected eye(s), itchy or watery eyes, dry eyes, swelling of the eyelids, blurred vision, sinus pain, sore throat, cough, and joint pain, it seems sensible to try the safe option of VitalMACULA first.