Living with AMD

Patients with AMD should generally do the following:

Stop smoking (and avoid second hand smoke)

Wear sun protection: either sun-glasses and/or a hat with a brim in bright sunlight.

Eat a diet rich in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens.

Eat FIVE servings of fruit and vegetables daily and avoid excess saturated fat and cholesterol.

Eat one serving daily of walnuts, canola oil or flax seed oil.

Eat baked fresh fish one time per week (Tuna and Salmon are great)

Treat high blood pressure, if present.

Monitor vision using an Amsler grid. Let your doctor know when changes are seen on the grid.

See a specialist for regular dilated exams to check for progression.

Vitamin Supplements

Based on the AREDS study done in 2001, we find that treatment with the following combination of vitamins can decrease the risk of further visual loss. The AREDS study used the following vitamins and found benefit:

Vitamin C     500mg

Vitamin E      400 IU

Vitamin A(15 mg beta-carotene)   25,000 IU

Zinc               80 mg

Copper (to decrease the anemia effects of Zinc)     2 mg

The AREDS formula is found in many over the counter vitamins including:

Ocuvite Preservision gelcaps: 2/day

I-Caps AREDS formula – 4/day

In addition to the vitamins that were studied a few years ago, newer studies indicate that there may be some benefit to taking the following additional vitamin supplements:

Lutein             6 mg / day

Zeaxanthine   2 mg / day

A vitamin that contains both the AREDS formula as well as the above extra supplements is available now:

I-CAPS MV 2 tabs/ twice per day

Caution

Smokers:

If you smoke, you should not take Vitamin A as this can increase your chance of lung cancer. Stop smoking now to preserve your best vision! It can be the single best way to decrease your chance of blindness from AMD. You may take the other vitamins mentioned above.

Blood thinners:

If you take blood thinners such as Coumadin or Plavix, please check with your family doctor before beginning the vitamins. Vitamin E and fish oil supplements can sometime make you more prone to bleeding. Green leafy vegetables can affect Coumadin levels as well.