Say "Eye Care" To The Senior In Your Life--Encourage Annual Eye Exams

The Seniorin Your Life— Encourage Annual Eye Exams (NAPSA)—Blurred faces, wavy lines or difficulty distinguishing colors may seem like inevitable signs of aging for your parents, but what if the changes are signs of a more serious age-related eye disease such as macular degeneration, glaucomaor cataracts? The lesser known of these diseases, macular degeneration— known as age-related macular degeneration or AMD—is the leading cause of blindnessfor people over the age of 50, yet twothirds of Americansare not famil- iar with the disease. It affects approximately 25-30 million people worldwide and causes loss of central vision—which affects normal everyday activities like recognizing faces and driving a car— sometimes in as short as six months. Although Americans are getting better at realizing the importance of eye exams, only four percent of Americans over 45 asked for a test for macular degeneration during their last visit to the eye doctor. Family members can help the seniorin theirlife by: Encouraging them to learn what happensto vision as they get older Encouraging discussions about fears and concerns associated with vision changes Saying “I care” enough about your “eye care” to make sure you get your eyes examined annually For more information about macular degeneration, visit www.amdfacts.com or call 800AMD-4636.