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Senior Health & Medicine
Betty White Urges Seniors to Get Serious About
Macular Degeneration
To raise awareness of
leading cause of blindness in senior citizens
 April 25, 2006 - Today legendary actress Betty
White kicks off "My Eye Health: In the Wink of an Eye," a national
campaign to educate Americans, in particular older ones, about
age-related macular degeneration, also called AMD, and the importance of
early detection and treatment. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in
Americans over age 60.
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About 15 million Americans -- almost one in four
over the age of 50 -- have AMD which may severely impact the ability to
read, watch TV, drive or even recognize faces of family and friends. AMD
is classified in two forms: dry AMD and wet AMD. Wet AMD is the more
advanced and most threatening form as it can develop rapidly; often
leading to severe vision loss in the affected eye within months.
A new survey shows that only 55 percent of those
over age 65 are aware of wet AMD, and less than 10 percent of the same
age population knew that vision can deteriorate rapidly with wet AMD.
More than half of adults aged 65 and older did not know that there are
treatment options available for wet AMD.
"AMD is devastating to those who have it and the
thought of losing my vision is too much to bear. When I learned that
vision may be preserved when wet AMD is caught and treated early, I
wanted to spread the word to as many people as possible," said national
spokesperson Betty White. "We should all monitor our vision and
encourage our friends, family and peers to do the same."
The earlier wet AMD is diagnosed and treated, the
better vision outcomes may be. Yet many people wait too long to see
their eye doctor after noticing vision changes. By not recognizing the
urgency of the situation, they are putting their vision at risk.
The My Eye Health campaign will educate the public
about signs and symptoms of wet AMD and the importance of early
diagnosis and treatment, which may result in better vision outcomes. Eye
doctors can diagnose wet AMD before patients even notice any changes, so
annual check-ups are a key way to catch wet AMD early.
There will be educational events in 15 cities and
more information is available at the Website.
"Fortunately, the ophthalmology community and
patients have benefited from major advances in how wet AMD is treated.
Studies show that early treatment may yield the most effective outcomes,
so it is important that patients recognize wet AMD symptoms and see
their eye doctor right away if they notice any changes in vision," said
Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D. M.B.A., Director of the Bascom Palmer Eye
Institute and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
For Americans who are most at-risk for AMD, one way
to check their vision at home daily is by using a simple self-monitoring
tool called the Amsler grid. Free copies of the Amsler grid along with
instructions on how to use it are available through
http://www.myeyehealth.org/ or by calling 1-866-702-EYES
(866-702-3937).
About Age-Related Macular Degeneration
AMD is a chronic, progressive disease of the
central portion of the retina called the macula, resulting in the loss
of central vision. The most common symptoms are a central blurred or
blank spot, distortion of objects or simply blurred vision. Peripheral
vision usually remains intact. AMD is classified into two forms:
atrophic, referred to as dry AMD, and neovascular or wet AMD.
In neovascular AMD, abnormal blood vessels grow and
leak into the macula, resulting in loss of vision. Neovascular AMD is
the more severe form of the disease and progresses more rapidly than the
dry type. Although it accounts for only about 10-15% of all macular
degeneration cases, neovascular AMD is responsible for 90% of blindness
caused by the disease.
About My Eye Health
The My Eye Health program features a national
public service announcement hosted by Betty White, educational events in
15 cities nationwide, the launch of
http://www.myeyehealth.org/ and 1-866-702-EYES (866-702-3937), a
free information hotline to receive information and free Amsler Grids.
Prevent Blindness America and the Macular Degeneration Partnership are
sponsors of the campaign and received funding support from (OSI) Eyetech
and Pfizer Ophthalmics.
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