Herbal Eye Cures for AMD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic eye condition that results from the slow and gradual deterioration of tissues in your eye, or the macula, which is positioned in the center of your retina. The macula is the tissue that forms on the back wall on the inside of your eye. While the degeneration of the macula does not result in complete blindness, you can experience blind spots, blurry vision and difficulty seeing, reading, recognizing faces and driving. There are no herbal cures for AMD, but some herbal remedies can help improve your condition.

Forms of Macular Degeneration

• AMD usually afflicts people aged 50 and older. Women, smokers, people with a family history of AMD and individuals with cardiovascular conditions and high cholesterol are more likely to get AMD. People with low antioxidant levels in their body are also more likely to get this condition as they age.

  There are two forms of the disorder: Dry AMD and Wet AMD. Dry AMD is the most common form of the condition and results in central vision loss, sometimes in one eye or in both. Symptoms of Dry AMD include blurred vision when reading, a dampening of colors to appear less vivid, hazy vision, a blurred spot in your central field of vision that may become large and dark, and a need for extra light when reading or performing tasks where the objects you are viewing are close to you. In contrast, Wet AMD involves extreme vision loss and the loss is often sudden. Symptoms associated with Wet AMD include seeing altered vision perspectives, seeing wavy lines when they are straight, a loss of central vision, the onset of a sudden blind spot and seeing objects smaller than they actually are.

  While there are a number of herbs that prove beneficial in improving AMD symptoms, and some herbal remedies can help prevent the onset of AMD, there is no herb that can cure AMD once symptoms have occurred. Instead, herbal remedies should be relied on as a method for dealing with symptoms and for working on preventing the condition from occurring.

Gingko Biloba

• Gingko Biloba is an herb that helps slow the amount of vision loss you experience when you have AMD. This herb contains flavonoids that help lessen retinal complications caused by macular degeneration and diabetes. Consuming this herb on a daily basis may help to preserve your vision as you age. This herb has also been used to improve memory and cognitive functioning. Consume 240 mg of gingko biloba a day in capsule form to promote eye health. It may take four to six weeks to note the benefits of gingko biloba consumption.

  Side effects of gingko biloba may include headaches, dizziness, gastrointestinal disturbances and skin rash development. This herb should not be used in conjunction with blood-thinning medications, as it can intensify the effect of such medications. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid the use of gingko biloba. The use of this herb may also interfere with the effectiveness of carbamazepine, valprioc acid, fluoxetin, sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram, phenelzine, nifedipine, deipyridamole, heparin, tickopidine, warfarin, ibuprophen, diuretics and trazodone.

Bilberry

• Bilberry is an herb that contains flavonoids that aid in preventing AMD as well as in treating AMD symptoms. The herb has anthocyanosides that help to improve vision complications, and can improve night vision with regular consumption. Antocyanosides also help in protecting the retina of your eye and may prevent the formation of cataracts. Bilberry supports the circulatory processes and helps build healthy blood vessels. The herb is high in antioxidants: substances needed in some individuals that have AMD due to antioxidant insufficiencies. The consumption of this herb boosts the generation of rhodopsin, which helps enhance your night vision as well as the way your eye naturally adapts to lighting conditions.

  Consume 480 mg of bilberry three times a day in capsule form in divided doses. You can also consume bilberry as tea; steep 10g of the crushed dried herb in 150 mL of boiled water for 10 minutes. After making the tea, strain it and consume the tea three times daily for eye health. Bilberry consumption may interact with blood-thinning medications and intensify their affect. This herb can reduce glucose levels in the blood and intensify diabetic medications; therefore, diabetics should avoid its use.