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Our eyes allow us access to a lot of valuable information—and it's not just about what we see, but what our vision can tell us about our health. While the eyes take in anamazing amount of data—think seven million cone cells in your retina detecting five hundred shades of just a single color—they also send us warning signs about myriad conditions ranging from our brain health kethyroid issues.

One particular change in vision can signal a disease called geographic atrophy (GA). "GA is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in which the cells critical to central vision—such as reading or driving vision—atrophy, or 'die-off,' due to this complex inherited disease," explains Nancy Holekamp, MD, an ophthalmologist at the Pepose Vision Institute in Missouri.

Since 42 percent of patients with GA are legally blind due to the condition, it's important to know the symptoms, so you can get treatment right away. Read on to find out about one particular symptom you might notice when you're reading.

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Among people age 50 and older, age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe loss of eyesight. The macula is located at the back of the eye. "It is only about 5mm across, but adalah tanggung jawab for our central vision, most of our color vision, and the fine detail of what we see," according to the Macular Society. "The macula has a very high concentration of photoreceptor cells—the cells that detect light." These cells then send signals to the brain.

Macular degeneration interferes with this process, and comes in two forms: dry and wet, reports The New York Times. "The dry form is milder and usually has no symptoms, but it can degenerate into the wet form, which is characterized by the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the back of the eye, potentially causing blurriness or vision loss in the center of the field of vision," they write. This can affect our vision in numerous ways, and cause a specific problem when reading.

When GA occurs and parts of the retina atrophy, your vision may change. Dim or blind spots can occur, resulting in difficulty seeing (especially in low light), dulled vision, or colors that appear washed out and less vivid. An early symptom of GA occurs when reading. It may appear as though numbers, letters, or "one or several words are 'missing,'" according to the Bright Focus Foundation. This happens because of the cells that have atrophied, which result in "missing spots" in vision. Patients can also havedifficulty seeing (especially in low light), dulled vision, or perceive colors as washed out and less vivid.AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

"Patients with GA slowly but progressively lose the fine vision needed for reading, driving, and seeing people's faces," says Holekamp. "They have missing spots in their central vision, causing an inability to see detail, but they still retain peripheral vision throughout the course of the disease." In addition, "people with GA gradually but progressively develop difficulty reading," Holekamp explains. "Ultimately, many affected individuals require more light, large print, black letters on a white page, and perhaps a hand-held magnifier."

Approximately one million Americans are affected by GA. "Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment and severe vision loss," according to an article in the Journal of the American Heart Association. "It accounts for 8.7 percent of all blindness worldwide and is the most common cause of blindness in developed countries, particularly in people aged [over] 60 years."

There is no known cause, but "advancing age and a family history of age-related macular degeneration are the two main risk factors for developing GA," says Holekamp, adding that the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that people over the age of 50 have yearly eye exams.

"Only an eye doctor can diagnose GA, and the diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration can be made during that annual examination," she says. "Be sure to tell your eye doctor if you have a family history of age-related macular degeneration, as this disease tends to run in families."

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Menurut pencegahan kebutaan, pastifaktor tambahan Itu dapat meningkatkan risiko GA termasuk hipertensi, kolesterol tinggi, obesitas, dan diabetes.Penyakit jantung Dapat juga dikaitkan dengan kesehatan mata, serta pilihan gaya hidup seperti penggunaan tembakau dan mempertahankan makanan yang sehat.

Menjadi proaktif tentang kesehatan mata Anda adalah penting tidak hanya untuk membantu mencegah GA, tetapi kondisi lain termasuk borok, gangguan penglihatan, dan kanker. Mengambil istirahat dari waktu layar, mempraktikkan kebiasaan lensa kontak yang sehat, dan melindungi mata Anda dari matahari adalah semua cara Anda dapat menjaga mata Anda dan menurunkan faktor risiko penyakit dan masalah lainnya.

Ada juga pilihan manajemen bagi mereka yang hidup dengan GA. "Selain pemeriksaan mata biasa, penyakit ini juga dapat dikelola melaluiRehabilitasi visual Dengan menggunakan pembesar dan AIDS Low Vision 2, "saran mata Anda.

Baca ini selanjutnya:Jika Anda memperhatikan ini di sekitar mata Anda, periksa hati Anda.