Boomers and age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Do NOT accept a disease that can be treated!

We hear a lot about how boomers seek eternal youth and are quick to buy everything from fashions to cosmetic surgery to "invisible" products that stave off signs of aging. Ironically, at the same time, many accept certain conditions as inevitable signs of aging that they can't do something about. This includes hearing, arthritis, and now, it seems, age-related macular degeneration. And yet ALL of these conditions can be treated and their progression slowed before they get worse.

I was surprised by some information I received recently from a colleague (Edelman represents the National Eye Institute) alerting me to a recent study about AMD, age-related macular degeneration.

AMD occurs when the macula – the central portion of the retina that is important for reading and color vision – becomes damaged. There are two forms of AMD – wet and dry. All cases begin as the dry form, but 10 to 15 percent progress to the more serious wet form, which can result in sudden and severe central vision loss. Without treatment, central vision can be lost over time, leaving only peripheral, or side vision.

Apparently, two-thirds of Americans aged 55 or older have had an eye exam within the last year, yet 80 percent do not know that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in people over 60.

According to a survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, this serious, progressive eye disease has several easy-to-recognize symptoms, and yet only half of survey respondents could identify a single one. What's more, only 46 percent could identify risk factors for AMD.

But here's the real shocker - of the 24 percent who are familiar with AMD, fewer than a third knew that AMD was treatable. The National Eye Institute  estimates that  approximately 15 million people in the United States have AMD, and more than 1.7 million Americans have the advanced form of the disease, known as wet AMD, which is more than cases of glaucoma and cataracts combined.

About 200,000 new cases of wet AMD are diagnosed each year in North America. As a result of the aging baby boomer population, the National Eye Institute estimates that the prevalence of advanced AMD will grow to nearly 3 million by the end of the next decade.

So I was delighted when I learned about Eye On AMD, a web site that teaches visitors about the disease. I spent quite a bit of time on the site and found it incredibly informative and beautifully designed. You can even virtually walk through a house and learn ways to help those with AMD function better on a daily basis. (And for those of you who don't care that much about this topic, but you do want to see a great example of how to design an easy-to-read site, go here.)

I picked up some great tips I'll use with my parents, both of whom have macular degeneration. Since they were in their 80's when they were diagnosed, it never really occured to me that it was anything but an "old person's" condition. Now that I know better, I feel obligated to let my fellow boomers in on this news.

Check out the resources link too - you'll find other ways to learn more about the disease and how it can be treated.

Are you a boomer with AMD? What has been your experience? Let us know if you're seeking treatment and how it's working!


Comments Boomers and age-related macular degeneration (AMD): don't accept a disease that can be treated!

Alzheimer's Becomes the Defining Disease of Baby Boomers

Alzheimer's becomes the defining disease of baby boomers

Several  days ago, a friend of mine who's in his mid-fifties told me that he always puts his car keys in the refrigerator. This struck me as the kind of behavior I've heard about from really stressed out moms and my late grandmother, who died of Alzheimer's, not a hip, successful boomer. But he explained that he did it simply because that's how he reminds himself to take his lunch to work (he prepares his daily lunch each night before going to bed).

It certainly seems like a clever solution to a common problem. Still, I can't help thinking there's no way I'd tell people I do that. It seems every little quirky, unexpected thing like that makes people think, "I wonder if she's losing it."

We boomers live in fear of being diagnosed with Alzheimers. Too many of us have watched our grandparents die with it and some of us are already dealing with parents who are showing signs of dimentia or Alzheimers. Now, there's evidence that our fear is not unfounded. We boomers are actually now regarded as "Generation Alzheimers." One out of every eight of us will die with or from the disease. And unlike other common boomer diseases like diabetes, arthritis, and heart conditions, there's really nothing we can do about it. There's no cure; in fact, there's not even a known way to signficantly slow the progression of the disease.

Many of us will spend our retirement years either fighting Alzheimer's ourselves, or caring for someone who has it.I feel very fortunate that my parents, both in their mid-80s, haven't shown signs of having this awful disease, even though both can be a little forgetful now and then. My mom even jokes that one of the great things about being over 80 is that you no longer have to worry about early onset of Alzheimer's! It's too late!

Recently, the Alzheimer's Association released the results of a study called Generation Alzheimers: the Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers. It's quite enlightening, even scary. According to the findings $172 billion is spent annually on and by the 5.2 million people with Alzheimers! Predictions are that Alzheimer's will cost $20 trillion over the next 40 years. Wow! Moreover, It's the 6th leading cause of death.

Many of us "sort of" joke about having Alzheimer's when we misplace things, forget a loved one's birthday, or have dificulty recalling someone's name.So, I was a bit relieved to discover the association's 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's. Somehow it made me feel more confident that my occasional memory lapses are probably more the result of being 54 and very busy.

Boomers should pay attention to this new study and understand the risk factors of getting Alzheimer's. Turns out that the disease most often strikes after age 65, and 2011 is the first year boomers reach that age. It's not a normal part of aging, though most people do seem to write off forgetfulness as an inevitable part of getting older.

I'd encourage you to check out this important study and stay on top of the signs of this awful disease.

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