EYE CARE FOR YOU

Could you be at risk of agerelated macular degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that can blur your central vision. It doesn’t cause complete blindness, but it can have a major impact on focused tasks such as reading, writing and driving. It can also cause colours to look less vibrant, and people’s faces may become more difficult to recognise. It is a common condition, mostly affecting older people.

While the exact cause of AMD is unknown, certain factors can increase your risk of developing the disease. These include being over the age of 50; having a family history of macular degeneration; smoking; being overweight; and having diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

There are often no symptoms associated with early to intermediate age-related macular degeneration. It isn’t painful and you may not notice you have the condition until there is a significant impairment to your vision. That’s why it’s important to get regular eye exams to determine whether you have AMD. Optometrists play a critical role in recognising the signs and symptoms. It’s particularly important if you do have a family history to get your eyes tested by an optometrist every two years from the age of 40.

Specsavers includes an advanced OCT 3D eye scan as part of every eye test. This is hospitalgrade technology that allows optometrists to detect eye conditions earlier. The ability of OCT to provide high-quality, cross-sectional analysis of the retina has seen it become widely used in the clinical management of AMD. AA members can get their eyes tested at Specsavers free of charge every two years.

To book an appointment, or for more information, visit specsavers.co.nz/stores