Don’t Surrender to AMD

Don’t surrender to AMD (age-related macular degeneration)!  This is the campaign call-to-action for AMD Week 2010, September 18-26th hosted by the AMD Alliance International (AMDAI) along with the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research.  Don’t surrender to the disease that currently affects over 30 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of vision loss in adults over 50 years of age.

As I have mentioned previously in posts, AMD is something I understand and take seriously as my grandfather has the disease and has slowly been losing his sight for over a decade.  AMD is a devastating disease as sight is gradually lost.  AMD typically results in serious life changes and those with AMD often suffer from depression and loss of independence with the fading of their vision.

Dr. Tavel Indiana eye doctors agree with AMDAI’s push for “Don’t surrender to AMD” and tell their patients that AMD is preventable (and can be slowed down) with regular eye examinations and careful monitoring of overall health.  Not smoking, exercising, eating right, and wearing sunglasses in bright light all will help in the prevention of AMD.  These are simple things we should be doing any way to lead a healthy lifestyle.

I believe the message “Don’t surrender to AMD” can mean something to just about anyone.  AMD affects adults over 50 but the damage is and can be done now for those under age 50, especially if the disease runs in your family.

On October 2nd I am walking in honor of my grandfather with Team Dr. Tavel Family Eye Care in the 4th annual VisionWalk in Indianapolis.  VisionWalk is hosted by Foundation Fighting Blindness, a nonprofit organization working to raise funds for preventative measures, research, and treatments of retinal degenerative diseases like AMD.  To learn more about the walk or to join Team Tavel click HERE.

We can walk to find ‘a cure in sight!’ And not surrender to AMD.