Q. I’m 78 years young, and thanks to sincere efforts to prevent a second heart attack, I have avoided the grim reaper. At my last checkup I told my cardiologist that I am having trouble reading and no longer see well enough to drive at night. She wants me to see an eye doctor. She said my heart disease puts me at risk for macular degeneration. What’s the connection?
A
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in U.S. adults ages 65 and older. As its name implies, age is the leading nonmodifiable risk factor for AMD, along with race (white), gender (female), light-colored eyes and a genetic predisposition to the disease. However, AMD shares many modifiable risk factors with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, excess alcohol consumption and a diet high in saturated fats, fried foods and refined and processed foods.
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