Macular Degeneration & Increased Stroke Risk

Late age related macular degeneration (AMD) may be an indicator of the increased risk of stroke. You may wonder, “What does my risk of having a stroke have to do with age related macular degeneration?” Possibly quite a bit as it turns out. The Rotterdam Study reported at the International Stroke Conference Older suggested that adults with late-stage, age related macular degeneration (AMD) may have a significantly higher risk for hemorrhagic stroke than do individuals without the eye disease. There may be a common underlying process contributing to both age related macular degeneration (AMD) and bleeding strokes, but more research will be needed to determine if that’s the case. Researchers found that the risk for any stroke was 56% higher in participants with late-stage AMD than in individuals without AMD after they controlled for the effects of age, sex, diabetes, blood pressure, use of antihypertensive medication, smoking, cholesterol levels, carotid artery plaques, body mass index, alcohol intake, and C-reactive protein levels.

“The single most significant finding in the study was that participants with late-stage AMD-either the wet or dry forms-had six fold higher risk for intracerebral hemorrhage or stroke than did participants without AMD,” noted Dr. Satish Modi of Seeta Eye Centers.”This is a critical piece of information we need to share with patients and their physicians.”

If you or someone you know suffers from or is concerned about age related macular degeneration (AMD), especially if they are concerned about their risk of stroke or have a family history of stroke please feel free to schedule an eye exam by calling Seeta Eye Centers at 845-454-1025, visiting Seeta Eye Centers or facebook.com/seetaeyecenters.

Seeta Eye Centers is conveniently located at 23 Davis Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12603, Cecilwood Health Center, 969 Main Street, Fishkill, New York 12524 and 664 Stoneleigh Avenue, Suite 100, Carmel, New York 10512 for patients from Westchester County, Rockland County and throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and Orange County.