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UPDATE Macular Degeneration
Fall 2026
IN THIS ISSUE
Diabetic Retinopathy
Chairman’s Corner
Independence Days
Simple Dietary Habits
Does AMD Cause Dry Eye?
Preserve & Protect Your Vision–Donate Today
Donate Today
Diabetic Retinopathy:
Protecting Your Vision Through Early Detection and Proper Care
By: Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO, FORS
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes and a leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults. High blood sugar over time can damage the small blood vessels that nourish the retina, the tissue at the back of the eye that allows us to see.
Anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can develop diabetic retinopathy, especially if blood sugar has been poorly controlled for over the years. Other factors that increase the risk include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, smoking, pregnancy, obesity and obstructive sleep apnea. Longer duration of diabetes is also another risk.
In its early stages, even as the retinopathy progressed, it may cause no symptoms, making regular comprehensive dilated eye examinations and imaging the retina an essential part of diabetic management.
As the disease progresses, damaged blood vessels may leak fluid (blood serum) into the macula, causing diabetic macular edema (DME), or new abnormal blood vessels may grow on the retina, increasing the risk of bleeding, retinal detachment, and permanent vision loss. Patients may notice blurred vision, floaters, dark spots, difficulty reading, or trouble seeing at night, all of which can significantly affect driving, work, and daily activities.
The good news is that vision loss from diabetic retinopathy is often preventable with early detection and appropriate treatment. Keeping blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol under good control is the most effective way to reduce the risk of developing diabetic eye disease and slow its progression. Eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, and taking medications as prescribed all play important roles in protecting vision. Even if your vision seems normal, people with diabetes should have regular dilated eye examinations because serious retinal damage can occur before symptoms develop. Modern retinal imaging and other technologies allow eye care providers (optometrists and ophthalmologists) to detect subtle changes earlier than ever before. When treatment is needed, options include medications injected into the eye that reduce swelling and abnormal blood vessel growth, laser therapy, and surgery for advanced disease.
Researchers are also developing longer-lasting medications that reduce the number of injections required and investigating gene therapies that may one day provide long-term treatment by enabling retinal cells to produce therapeutic proteins. Artificial intelligence is also improving diabetic eye screening by helping identify patients who need prompt evaluation. With today’s advances in detection and treatment, combined with good diabetes management and routine eye care, most people with diabetes can preserve their vision and continue enjoying a productive life.
Chairman’s Corner
Dear Friends,
As we welcome the fall season, I am reminded of the importance of family, gratitude, and the simple moments that bring us comfort. For those living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), geographic atrophy (GA), diabetic eye disease, or dry eye disease, the journey can bring uncertainty and many questions. To patients, caregivers, and families, please remember: you are not alone. The Macular Degeneration Association is here to provide knowledge, education, resources, and hope.
In this issue of the MDA Update, we share valuable information about diabetic retinopathy, dry eye disease, and nutrition and dietary habits related to eye health. Our virtual educational programs are also available online, bringing expert information directly to you at home. Visit MacularHope.org/videos/
We are also seeking individuals living with wet macular degeneration who may be willing to share their stories and help others feel less alone. If you are interested, please contact me at donna@macularhope.org.
As we begin planning our 2027 in-person programs, we welcome your suggestions for communities where you would like us to hold a program.
Whatever challenges you may be facing, know that the MDA is here to walk beside you. Together, through education, research, and compassion, we can make a difference.
Knowledge is POWER! Thank you for being part of the MDA family.
Sincerely,
Lawrence S. Hoffheimer
Macular Degeneration Association
Chairman
Independence Days
Leo Semes, OD
The bicentennial year of 1976 was an exciting time in Philadelphia, and the ophthalmic field was burgeoning. I was in the middle of my optometry training there at the time. Cataract surgery was on the cusp of adopting intraocular lens implants, but the current procedure was removal of the entire lens, about the size of an M&M candy. The patient was rendered aphakic, without a natural lens, severely limiting visual independence. Fortunately, evolution to the intraocular lens, IOL in contemporary terminology was emerging rapidly.
The other major limitation to visual independence was age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which was termed “senile macular degeneration” at the time. Approaches to patients with AMD consisted mainly of vision enhancing devices. Surgical means for those with wet AMD were aimed at laser photocoagulation of the fragile, bleeding vessel pods to restrict progression. Unfortunately, collateral damage often resulted in new blood vessel formations. Additionally, geographic atrophy (GA) remained a juggernaut. Progress toward visual independence for AMD was progressing slowly.
Evolution to the contemporary IOL, which has been termed one of the most transformative advances in vision care just as the Declaration of Independence is in US history, has an interesting backstory. Dr. Harold Ridley observed that the acrylic, Perpex®, canopy shards that became imbedded into British pilot’s eyes during WWII did not cause an inflammatory reaction nor rejection. He began experimenting with intraocular lens implants near the end of the 1940s, implanting the first one at the end of that decade. Despite some setbacks, by the mid-1980s IOLs had become commonplace. Following IOL implantation, cataract patients now enjoy greater visual independence.
Just as with the refinement of IOLs, emerging means of treating wet AMD were progressing. Introduced at the beginning of this century verteporfin (Visudyne®), aimed at controlling neovascularization, the underlying mechanism of wet AMD, was considered revolutionary. With the introduction of pegaptanib (Macugen®) in 2004, the era of intravitreal injectables dawned. In the succeeding decades, more and better compounds for managing wet AMD have emerged. As a group, these compounds represent another transformative advance for visual independence.
Today, as we celebrate 250 years of American independence, the landscape of treatment options for wet AMD includes a spectrum of compounds acting on molecular drivers of neovascularization. Monitored repeated injections are designed to improve vision and stabilize anatomy for years. Frequency is dependent on a particular eye’s response.
Vision independence for patients with GA also continues to evolve. Drugs to short-circuit the complement pathway are the first step toward visual independence. Investigative treatments for GA include neuroprotective agents, gene therapy, which may require only a single injection and cell-based therapies.
Also on the horizon is a group of compounds aimed at reducing treatment burden and enhancing adherence for patients with wet AMD. These include tyrosine kinase inhibitors, fusion proteins and an array of gene therapies which may replace “needle in the eye” administration. What will the next fifty years offer for visual independence?
SIMPLE DIETARY HABITS
That May Support Long-Term Vision
By: Julie Poteet, OD, MS, CNS, FOWNS
For individuals living with or at risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), nutrition represents one of the most important modifiable lifestyle factors influencing retinal health. The macula operates under constant metabolic demand and is exposed to high levels of light and oxygen, making it particularly susceptible to oxidative stress and inflammation. Over time, these processes can contribute to damage within the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors. While genetics and aging remain major drivers of disease, growing evidence suggests that dietary habits may help influence the biological environment in which macular degeneration develops and progresses.
One of the most consistent findings in AMD research involves dietary carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients accumulate in the macula to form the macular pigment, where they function as antioxidants and help filter high-energy blue light before it reaches sensitive retinal tissues. Foods rich in these carotenoids include dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens, as well as eggs and certain brightly colored vegetables. Higher dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin has been associated with greater macular pigment density, which may help support retinal resilience.
Fish consumption is another dietary habit associated with improved retinal health. Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, and trout provide long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA and EPA, which are important components of retinal cell membranes and may help regulate inflammatory signaling in the retina. Observational studies—including analyses from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) cohort—have reported that individuals who consume fatty fish at least twice per week may have a much lower risk of progression to advanced AMD. These findings highlight the importance of dietary patterns rather than reliance on single nutrients alone.
More broadly, research continues to support the benefits of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern for individuals concerned about macular degeneration. This pattern emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and regular fish intake while limiting highly processed foods. Such diets provide a wide range of bioactive compounds—including antioxidants, poly-phenols, carotenoids, and B vitamins—that support vascular health, metabolic balance, and cellular energy production within the retina. While nutrition cannot prevent or cure macular degeneration, these simple dietary habits may help support the long-term health and resilience of the macula.
Does AMD Cause Dry Eye?
By: Julie Rodman OD, MSc, FAAO
People living with AMD often wonder whether it can also cause dry eye. The answer is no— Dry eye and AMD both occur in the elderly population, so it is quite common for both conditions to appear at the same time. However, AMD affects the retina while dry eye affects the surface of the eye and the quality or quantity of tears. Dry eye symptoms such as burning, irritation, fluctuating vision, or a gritty sensation can result in poor vision which can affect a patient’s quality of life. Since both conditions can negatively impact vision, it is important not to assume every change in vision is caused by AMD alone.
Researchers are continuing to study the connection between these age-related eye conditions and have found that inflammation may contribute to both. In addition, some people receiving ongoing treatments for wet AMD, such as intravitreal injections, may notice temporary dry eye symptoms related to the procedure or the pre-procedure preparation. The good news is that dry eye is often very manageable. New diagnostic tools can help identify the underlying cause of dry eye and treatment can be targeted at the source. Treatments include preservative-free artificial tears, prescription medications, heat-based therapies, and modalities that improve the function of the eyelid’s oil glands. Addressing dry eye can improve comfort, support clearer vision, and enhance a patient’s quality of life. All patients should be seen regularly by an eye care provider for management of AMD and/or dry eye.
HOW TO GIVE
Phone, Mail or Online
Phone: Please call (941)893-4387 today to speak to one of our Donor Services Representatives.
Mail: Send your check or money order today payable to:
MACULAR DEGENERATION ASSOCIATION
5969 Cattleridge Boulevard, Suite 100 | Sarasota, FL 34232
Online: Please visit www.macularhope.org today and click on the Donation tab.
Stocks, Securities, Mutual Funds and IRAs
Please give serious consideration to the donation of stock and mutual fund shares as this offers numerous opportunities
to make a most gracious gift and receive tax advantages.
Wills, Bequests and Planned Gifts
Please give serious consideration to the designation of MDA in your Will, Charitable Trusts, Life Insurance, Appreciated
Securities and Real Estate, as this offers preplanned giving opportunities that will serve the macular community for
years to come. Please call Lynne Henry (941)893-4389 at the Macular Degeneration Association, today, for personal
assistance in initiating this effort.
The following language has been reviewed and is deemed a legally acceptable form for including such a bequest in a will:
“I give and bequeath to the Macular Degeneration Association, 5969 Cattleridge Blvd. Suite # 100, Sarasota, FL 34232
for discretionary use in carrying out its aims and purposes, (the sum of $_____) or ( a sum equal to _______% of
the value of my gross estate at the time of my death under this will or any codicil hereto).”
The Macular Degeneration Association Federal ID number is 27-3025707
MEMORIAL AND HONOR GIVING
Honor a family member, friend, or special event by donating to MDA. Pay tribute to someone you love whose life
has been impacted by macular degeneration. In lieu of flowers, please consider designating Macular Degeneration
Association as your charity of choice.
WORKPLACE GIVING
Launch a Giving Campaign
Please consider leading a team at work by encouraging your colleagues and staff to join together to help those
living with macular degeneration. Launch a workplace giving campaign today.
Ask about Matching Gifts
Many gracious employers double or even triple charitable donations made by individual employees. Some companies
will match gifts made by retirees and/or their spouses. Contact your employer for matching gift eligibility
as this allows you to maximize your personal donation.
Thank you!