QUESTION: What are the risk factors of AMD? Why did this happen to me?
This post applies only to AMD. Other forms of macular degeneration have different causes and different risk factors.
Risk Factors
The answer is about risk factors for AMD. Quick answers:
1. There’s no way of knowing why this happened to you, so don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know about the disease, so you didn’t knowingly bring it on yourself.
2. Heredity IS a factor but not the cause, so that if you have a first-degree relative with it (parents, siblings, children), you have a higher risk of developing AMD than someone who does not, but that doesn’t mean you will absolutely develop AMD. We have members who have no family history but have AMD. We have members with a family history who never develop it. As a matter of fact, only 10-15% of those with AMD have a first-degree relative with it. For more about genetics & AMD, go to the Genetic Home Reference.
3. If you have certain risk factors, you can work on them. Look at the ones under ‘what you can control’ below.
DETAILS
We talk frequently about risk factors vs causes of AMD. A risk factor is something that has been associated with a disease. A cause is a biological condition that if you have it, you have the disease. We do not know what causes AMD in any individual which is why we often call AMD ‘idiopathic’ which means “relating to or denoting any disease or condition that arises spontaneously or for which the cause is unknown.”
One reason to do this exercise is to understand what can and what can’t be changed. I can’t help but think of the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.”
What You Cannot Change
A. Age >50; risk goes up as age goes up
B. First degree relative: mother or father, siblings, children with AMD
C. Gene variations on ARM2 and CFH and other specific genes (some related to inflammation); don’t know if not tested
D. Race: Caucasian heritage
E. AMD in one eye (other eye is at higher risk)
F. Female
G. Blue eyes
H. Early menopause as determined by medical diagnosis
I. Light skin
What You Can Work On Changing
J. Smoking, former smoking or exposed to second-hand smoke (less than current smokers)
K. BMI/obesity
L. Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
M. Sedentary lifestyle
N. Uncontrolled high total cholesterol
O. Poor nutrition including high fat (especially artificial fats & saturated fats) and sugar intake; low plant-based foods intake
P. Sun exposure: Past (can’t change) and current (can change) sun exposure; maybe blue light exposure (conflicting opinions; no firm evidence); includes living in locations with higher amount of exposure to sunlight
Q. Drug side effects: Aralen/chloroquine, Thorazine/chlorpromazine, Mellaril/thioridazine, Prolixin/fluphenazine, Trilafon/perphenazine, Stelazine/trifluoperazine)
R. Poor dental hygiene
S. Exposure to past (can’t change) or current (can change somewhat) environmental toxins
T. Excessive alcohol use
U. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies or excesses as found through medical testing
V. Type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher risk of AMD. Add this letter after some of you have already responded.
There may be more!