NEW YORK (Dispatches) -- Scientists have recently discovered that a leading cause of blindness is highly likely to cause heart attack, stroke and heart failure.
In a new study carried out by researchers from New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, found that a specific form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is strongly associated with heart failure and heart attacks, or advanced heart valve disease, or carotid artery disease associated with certain types of strokes.
This study is the first strong link between the leading cause of blindness, AMD, and heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. There is strong evidence indicating that the blood supply to the eye is directly diminished by these diseases, either by heart damage that diminishes blood supply throughout the body, or from a blocked carotid artery that directly impedes blood flow to the eye. A poor blood supply can cause damage to any part of the body, and with these specific diseases, the destroyed retina and leftover subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs) are that damage. Retinal damage means vision loss, and can lead to blindness.
AMD is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in people over 65 and is the result of damage to the central area of the retina called the macula, which is responsible for reading and driving vision. One major form of early AMD consists of small yellow cholesterol deposits called drusen, which form under a part of the retina called the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). They can deprive the retina of blood and oxygen, leading to vision loss.