DEAR ABBY: As your readers mature, some of them will be among the 9 million older Americans who have some signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Nearly 2 million struggle to read because of it.
AMD is a painless disease. It sometimes develops so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. But AMD blurs the sharp, central vision needed for "straight-ahead" activities, like reading, sewing and driving.
There are two forms of AMD: wet and dry. Wet AMD is the more serious form. It's caused by new blood vessels that grow at the back of the eye and then bleed. Usually the first symptom is when straight lines begin to look wavy. If you have dry AMD, the most common symptom is a slight blurring. You might also have trouble recognizing faces, and you may need brighter light to read or perform other tasks.
The good news is, recent clinical trials show that a combination of high-dose vitamins and minerals can slow AMD and vision loss. Many advances in technology are also providing effective solutions to AMD and other age-related vision problems.
Please encourage readers who suspect they may have AMD or other vision problems, who are over the age of 60, or have diabetes, to consult an eye health-care professional as soon as possible. Thank you for helping to make vision a health priority. -- PAUL A. SIEVING, M.D., PH.D., DIRECTOR, NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
DEAR DR. SIEVING: I'm pleased to spread the word. The subject may not be "sexy," but it's important.
Readers, any change in vision should be immediately reported to your doctor. This includes blurring of vision, "flashing lights" or an increased number of "floaters." Before buying vitamin supplements to maintain your vision, ask your doctor which kind is most helpful.
The federal government's National Eye Institute provides a wealth of information to help people of all ages maintain healthy vision via its Web site: www.nei.nih.gov. A clever feature of this site allows users to increase the text size as needed. Check it out.