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When did you hear that<br />
your mum had AMD?<br />
She was diagnosed in her<br />
60s but refused to let it get<br />
her down. I know it was<br />
frustrating that as her sight<br />
deteriorated mum couldn’t<br />
do as much of the sewing and<br />
embroidery that she loved,<br />
but she always remained very<br />
physically active. She loved<br />
going on cruises and would<br />
win competitions onboard for<br />
her accomplishments – even<br />
in her mid 60s she could leap<br />
off tables straight into the<br />
splits!<br />
Did you know what<br />
AMD was?<br />
no, I’d never heard of it. I<br />
knew that our eyesight often<br />
deteriorates as we grow older,<br />
but I wasn’t aware that AMd<br />
was so common, and that in<br />
some cases it could also lead<br />
to blindness.<br />
4<br />
<strong>Eye</strong>s on<br />
the future<br />
AMD can be hereditary<br />
and is more common in<br />
women – especially if they<br />
have blonde hair and<br />
blue eyes. Has that made<br />
you concerned about<br />
your own sight?<br />
naturally. I never wore<br />
sunglasses regularly in the<br />
past – I always saw them as a<br />
fashion accessory rather than<br />
a health necessity. That’s a<br />
big regret, as I’m much more<br />
aware now of the damage<br />
that the sun can do to our<br />
eyes. I’ve never smoked,<br />
which is fortunate as that’s<br />
been linked in a number of<br />
studies to the development<br />
of the condition.<br />
during my research I heard<br />
about ocuvite - which helps<br />
maintain good eye health -<br />
and now I make sure I take<br />
it regularly.<br />
Julie Peasgood, 52, reveals why<br />
her mother’s Age-related Macular<br />
degeneration diagnosis has made<br />
her safeguard her own sight<br />
I also have regular eye<br />
check-ups. The health of my<br />
eyes has become a priority<br />
now in a way that it wasn’t<br />
before. over the years I’ve<br />
had to accept that I need to<br />
wear glasses for reading, but<br />
otherwise my eyes are in<br />
good health.<br />
Do you think there is<br />
enough information<br />
available on AMD?<br />
no. I’d never heard of the<br />
condition, so by the time<br />
she was diagnosed, it was<br />
too late to make much<br />
difference for my mum. If I’d<br />
known what I know now,<br />
I’d certainly have made sure<br />
she took a high potency<br />
supplement. I’d also have<br />
given her Popeye-sized<br />
platefuls of spinach! As with<br />
all health issues, prevention<br />
is better than cure.<br />
A guIdE To eye HealTH And BeauTy
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