Senior Balance Exercises For Those With Macular Degeneration

Senior Balance Exercises For Those With Visual Problems

By Suzanne Stoke, Physical Therapist @ Exercise For Balance via www.exerciseforbalance.com

Rehearsing senior balance exercises on a consistent basis can help those folks who suffer with vision difficulties. Please see   http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now  Unfortunately, as we age we experience common visual deficits such as cataracts, diminished visual acuity and macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a disease that damages part of your retina, the layer of cells, nerves, and blood vessels behind your eyes that sends images to your brain so you can see. At the center of each retina is a small area called the macula. While the rest of the retina provides you with side vision (peripheral vision), the macula provides central vision, so you can see straight ahead. Your macula also enables you to see details. You use your macula when you read, recognize a face, drive a car to see roads signs or traffic signals, or watch television or a movie.  ARMD damages your macula. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of permanent central vision loss in people 65 and older in developed countries. As the name suggests, ARMD increases with age.  Roughly 2% of people in their 50s have ARMD, compared with 30% of those older than 75.  Age-related macular degeneration usually doesn’t affect your peripheral vision. There are two types of ARMD, a dry form and a wet form. Dry ARMD Dry age-related macular degeneration is the more common of the two types and accounts for 80 to 90 percent of all cases of macular degeneration. With dry macular degeneration, fatty yellow deposits called drusen develop under the retina, and the macula becomes thinner, and begins to lose function.  As a result, someone with dry ARMD may see a dark, blurry spot, or a blank spot, in the middle of his or her visual field. Vision loss due to dry ARMD is slow and gradual, and isn’t as severe as wet ARMD.

Dry ARMD can progress to wet ARMD—which can cause rapid and more extensive  damage and vision loss. You should be under the care of an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) if you re diagnosed with either form of ARMD. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, people with dry ARMD should monitor their central vision daily, using a special, graph paper-like chart called an “Amsler grid.” If any part of the grid appears wavy, blurry, or dark—or if your vision is suddenly distorted—you should contact your ophthalmologist immediately. These changes could be a sign that you have developed wet ARMD.

Wet ARMD Wet age-related macular degeneration accounts for 10 to 20 percent of all cases of age-related macular degeneration. With this type of macular degeneration, two changes occur; drusen (fatty yellow deposits) accumulates and abnormal blood vessels begin to grow under the retina. The accumulation of drusen alone does not cause vision loss, but the accompanying blood vessels leakage causes damage. Wet ARMD can cause rapid and severe vision loss and central visual blindness. Early diagnosis and treatment are extremely important and essential to treating ARMD. Additionally, since vision is our primary sense for balance, having visual problems can lead to instability and a greater risk for falling.

Senior Balance Exercises Help With Visual Issues

One of the ways to combat poor balance from visual problems is to practice senior balance exercises every day. The balance system in the brain relies on three main inputs for our steadiness. The primary sensory input for stability comes from our vision. Unfortunately, as we age and experience visual problems like macular degeneration our steadiness also suffers. One of the ways to overcome loss of stability due to visual deficits is to use the sense of touch between the feet and the floor to compensate for visual deficits. There are specific balance training techniques that help you practice how to find your center balance point and how to maximize the sense of touch from your feet and the floor to make you more stable. You can perform these balance techniques and senior balance exercises in the comfort of your own home with the Exercise For Balance DVD.

Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

    For those with vision problems, begin the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The Balance DVD is developed for easy use at home or in a group setting. The professionally filmed DVD comes complete with the best balance and strength exercises needed to enhance senior fitness and to perform basic activities like walking, standing, stair climbing or to advance to high level activities like dancing and hiking. In the Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve balance, balance techniques and balance routines from a balance trainer (licensed Physical Therapist) who has worked with balance and dizziness disorders for over 20 years. Get your copy of the Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking on the BUY NOW button

For anyone with visual problems, start balance exercises today with the Exercise For Balance DVD to improve balance and prevent falls.
For more information see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/