February is Age Related Macular Degeneration Awareness (AMD) Month

18 Feb February is Age Related Macular Degeneration Awareness (AMD) Month

In honor of AMD awareness, we would like to share with you the important benefits of being proactive about your eye health. A dilated exam, especially with the screening capabilities of the Optos® which delivers a high-resolution 200° image in order to ascertain the health of your retina, is the ideal means to monitor the health of the retina.

In addition, the Amsler Grid, with regard to Macular Degeneration, is also an essential tool because it helps detect the early signs and continues to monitor any changes to the macula. Best part, you can work it into your daily routine so that any changes will demand attention in real-time, thus preventing any lapse in critical care.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE OF AMSLER GRID

1. With your reading glasses on, test ONE eye at a time while holding grid at normal reading distance.
2. Look at the dot in the center of the page for three seconds with each eye.
3. All the lines should be straight.
4. If the lines become wavy, or if part of the grid is missing, notify our office immediately.
5. Test each eye for three seconds, once per week.

Here’s some additional steps to take:

• Ensure proper diet and nutritional supplement
• Protect your eyes from sunlight (sunglasses, hat, etc.)
• Don’t smoke

And, most of all, by following these simple at home steps YOU will gain a sense of pride knowing that you have a hand in maintaining the quality of your current vision.