ARMD Awareness Month Press Release

Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) Awareness Month at Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, Maine
 Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, Maine wishes to announce that Prevent Blindness America has designated February as National Age Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month.
“Our patients should feel particularly confident as both Scott Steidl, M.D. and Jackie Nguyen, M.D. are fellowship trained vitreoretinal specialists at Eyecare Medical Group. They can attend to even the most complex retinal and macular problems and needs” commented Clement Berry, Chief Executive Officer of Eyecare Medical Group.
“Age Related Macular Degeneration” (ARMD) is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in Americans older than 50, affecting more than two million people. Although ARMD is incurable, there are new treatments that can at a minimum prevent further vision loss from the disease and in many cases actually help recover lost vision, commented Scott Steidl, M.D.
ARMD causes central vision to blur, but leaves peripheral vision intact. It is progressive and painless. There are two types of ARMD: dry and wet. Approximately 90 percent of people with ARMD have the dry form which results in gradual vision loss. Although only 10 percent of people with ARMD have the wet form, it generally progresses much quicker than the dry form. Wet AMD is characterized by the growth of abnormal retinal blood vessels that leak blood or fluid, causing rapid and severe central vision loss.

Patients can often reduce the risk of developing ARMD by not smoking as well as working to eat a heart-healthy diet rich in fish, fruit and green leafy vegetables, avoiding foods with trans fats, exercising and controlling blood pressure and weight.

“We are fortunate to be able to offer Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) drugs that inhibit the development of unwanted blood vessels that cause wet ARMD as these agents are effective in helping to prevent further visual loss and even improve vision”, said Jackie Nguyen, M.D.

Patients older than 50 are encouraged to have a comprehensive, dilated eye examination every one to two years to ensure that ARMD is detected and treated early. The key to successful treatment is early detection and intervention.

Eyecare Medical Group is a Maine Ophthalmology practice staffed by a team of eye care specialists including Board Certified Fellowship trained Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and Intraocular lens implants, (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

To learn more about Eyecare Medical Group in Portland Maine you may visit www.eyecaremed.com or to learn more about LASIK in Maine you may visit www.emglasereyecenter.com. Eyecare Medical Group is a founding member of the LASIK Eye Surgery Patient Information and LASIK Surgeon Directory at www.seewithlasik.com and the Cataract Surgery, Intraocular Lens Implant (IOL) and Cataract Surgeon Directory at www.aboutcataractsurgery.com.


For additional information, contact:

Gretel Taska, Eyecare Medical Group, 53 Sewall Street, Portland, Maine 04102, gtaska@eyecaremed.com, 1.888.374.2020



SOURCE: Medical Management Services Group, L.L.C.