Seeing Better Than You Have Before

5 Tips For Living With Macular Degeneration

by Linda Bates

Macular degeneration, which is often associated with age, can cause you to have poor vision. Although it usually does not affect your peripheral vision, it can make seeing very difficult in most everyday situations. This can obviously cause big changes in your life, but luckily, there are a few things that you can do to make living with macular degeneration easier.

1. Install Brighter Lights

Low light can make it even more difficult for you to see if you have macular degeneration. Swap out the lights in your home for brighter bulbs; just make sure that you check lamps and light fixtures to ensure that you don't use a bulb that is too bright, which could cause a safety issue. Consider installing more lighting in your home if your home still isn't bright enough, and open up your window shades or blinds during the day to take advantage of the bright sunlight.

2. Use a Magnifying Glass

Keep a handheld magnifying glass in your pocket or purse so that you can use it throughout the day. You might find that it will be helpful when you are reading or working with your hands.

3. Use Larger Print

Begin opting for books and crossword puzzle books that have larger print, and change the settings on your computer, cell phone and any other electronic gadgets that you have so that the words will be magnified. Consider using a handheld tablet to read whenever possible, since you can generally adjust the words to the proper size for you to see them.

4. See Your Eye Doctor Regularly

It is important not to skip regular doctor's appointments with your optometrist. Appointments with the eye doctor are important for anyone, but when you have macular degeneration, this is especially important. Your doctor can help you with any visual aids that can help you see as well as possible, and he or she can check your eyes regularly to ensure that your vision is not getting worse. Plus, if you are still driving, it is important for you to see your eye doctor regularly to ensure that it is still safe for you to do so.

5. Consume a Healthy Diet

It is important to consume a healthy diet if you have macular degeneration. Make sure that you eat plenty of leafy greens, fish and various foods that include antioxidants to help prevent your macular degeneration from getting worse and to maintain overall good health.

There is no known treatment option out there for those who have macular degeneration, but following these tips can help make living with it a lot easier. For more information, contact a professional like those at Malkani Retina Center.

Share