Macular Degeneration

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Updated: April 2012

Macular Degeneration & Sunlight

Is sunlight a danger for people suffering from macular degeneration?

Between 50 and 60 million people go on holidays every year in Germany. Especially at the beginning of the holiday season people suffering of a macular degeneration contact our organization. They want to know whether they have to take extra precautions especially for the mountain and ocean areas in order not to further endanger their eyesight with their macular degeneration. More and more affected people have heard that the light of the sun is a true danger for their eye sight.

In order to give people suffering from macular degeneration the best possible information SOS Eye Sight e.V. has researched and compiled the result for you.

Is Sunlight basically a risk for your eyes?

The sunlight; it brings joy of living and affects our body positively as long as it is enjoyed not extensively. A too high dosage is definitely damaging the eyes: After the eclipse in 1912 over 3,000 people had to be treated on their eyes because they had looked directly at the sun for too long. Every tenth suffered permanent damage on his eyes.

Yet, even normal sunlight can be a danger especially if there is already a distress of macular degeneration.
  • The eye specialist Professor Dr. Mathias Zirm explains: "The visible, as well as highly-energetic blue light can cause in the long run at a high intensity diseases of the retina such as age-related retinal degeneration (macular degeneration)."
  • "The importance of an optimized light protection of the eyes has still not penetrated the general consciousness of the people," laments chemist and eye expert Professor Siegfried Hünig of the Würzburg University.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 20 percent of blindness cases can be accounted for through UV light.

What do studies say on the relationship between sunlight and macular degeneration?

In August 2011 the German Ophthalmologic Society (DOG) announced that new research has showed that sunlight furthers illness process on the retina which lead to the senile macular degeneration. The DOG explained that the private docent Dr. med. Marcus Kernt of the eye clinic of the Ludwig-Maximilians university Munich along with his colleagues has researched the influence of sunlight on the retina under lab conditions. It is said he had radiated retina pigment epithelium cells with white light and already after 60 minutes a clear increased cell declination could be seen. Concluding the experiments say that the by light induced change can damage the cells irreparably. If and how these process can be stopped by drugs is still in detailed research.

A few years ago the University of Wisconsin ran an extensive study on sunlight and macular degeneration. It showed that patients who were a lot in the sun, had double the risk of getting an age-related macular degeneration. For patients who regularly wore hats, caps and sunglasses, the risk of getting a macular degeneration was halved.

(Archives of Ophthalmology, 2004; 122: 750-757)

Bei den Studienteilnehmern, die im Blut sehr niedrige Antioxidanzienspiegel (Vitamin C und E, Zink, Zeaxanthin) aufwiesen, fand sich ein klarer Zusammenhang zwischen der Exposition gegenüber blauem Licht und der Augenerkrankung. Klare Schlussfolgerung: Sonnenbrille auf und gesund ernähren, heißt die Devise für Menschen, die auch im Alter noch lange gut sehen wollen.

In the European Eye Study 4,753 over 65-year old participants underwent interviews about their lifelong exposition to sunlight as well as ophthalmologic examinations. The participants who had a very low antioxidant level (Vitamine C and E, cink, Zeaxanthin) in their blood showed clearly a relation between the exposition of blue light and the eye disease. Clear conclusion: Put up your sunglasses and a healthy diet if you want to see well when getting older. (Astrid E. Fletcher et al. Arch Ophthalmol 2008; 126: 1396-1403 MTD, Issue 4 / 2009 p. 4.)

The media says further: "Pale blue eyes are also highly vulnerable, white skinned people become blind 10 times more often through macular degeneration than dark skinned."
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Do you need to be careful in the mountains or at the ocean?

Anyone who has by macular degeneration handicapped eyes should protect themselves with particular intensity. Especially in the mountains while skiing or at the ocean or in sunny areas there is a great danger. Here an increased solar radiation and additional reflections can generate a lot more easy long-term damages in the eyes and thus have also an impact on the course of a macular degeneration in a negative way.

Here are some examples:
  • Water reflects up to 30 percent of the light.
  • Snow reflects up to 85 percent of the light.
  • Greenery on the other hand, only 6 percent.
  • Per 1,000 height meters radiation increases by 20 percent.

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How can I protect myself and my by macular degeneration affected retina sufficiently?

There are new findings about the composition of light and its effect on the human eye and specifically to the progress of macular degeneration:

  • At a healthy adult the cornea and the eye lens filter a high part of the UVA and UVB rays of the sunlight. The macular itself additionally filters a part of the visible short-waved light.
  • Some studies suggest that intensive exposure of light to the retina can damage it. Especially it is pointed out that the visible blue short-waved light could have a toxic reaction on macular degeneration affected people.
  • Special experiments have shown that both the invisible light (UV rays) and visible, blue light can damage the retina extensively. At a long exertion to the rays even toxic reactions could be seen in the retina. The danger to get macular degeneration increases.
  • It is believed that especially so called photodynamic rather than through light exertion activated oxidative processes are part of the metabolic disorder (problems with the disposal of metabolic waste) in the retina area. Through the clash of sunlight and oxygen in the eye thus a metabolic disorder is triggered. The by that resulting sediments are toxic themselves and lead to to a dying of retina cells. It is said that a disorder of metabolism leads to sediments under the retina (on the retina also called Drusen) and can lead to a functional loss which could trigger an age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
In summary it seems to be a good recommendation to protect yourself from long an intensive sunlight in order to prevent macular degeneration. Even on days with little sun the strain of the macular seems to be possible, especially on the water or in the mountains you should take special precautions.

Whether too strong sunlight can definitely trigger a macular degeneration cannot finally be said with certainty. But it seems to be certain that too much sunlight at least furthers retinal damages, macular problems and macular degeneration. At an existing macular degeneration it is mandatory to protect yourself against sunlight.

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What should you look for when buying sun protection?

If you want to protect your eyes with sunglasses effectively at an existing macular degeneration you should look out for a sign of approval or authorization. The board of trustees of Gutes Sehen e.V. say that sunglasses only with a CE sign give enough protection against UV-400-rays. It further says that this CE sign proves that the glasses fulfill the basic security demands from European directives.

Further tips for sun protection:
  • Protection from UV light and blue light is useful for medical reasons
  • Wearing of a hat reduces the UV exposure by only ca 50%
  • Sunglasses with UV-A and UV-B protection is recommended
  • With increased sun exposure (beach, snow) you should always wear sun glasses with 100% UVA / UVB protection and side shields.
  • Just as important is the frame of the glasses. It is said: “Current studies show that up to 60 percent of unfiltered light gets into the eyes at many glasses, although the glasses should filter out the most of it. The Reason: The rays can get in from the sides because the frame is not in place. This is even doubly unfortunate because according to the tinted glasses the pupils are wider opened than usual so that the from the side incoming light is let through readily onto the retina."

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