Why drusen can be a problem for older eyes

SCREENING FOR DRUSEN To check for drusen, your eye doctor will dilate your pupils and examine your eyes through an ophthalmoscope, a device that allows an ophthalmologist to see the retina

and other areas at the back of the eye. "Your doctor might also scan your retina using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan,” Awh says. OCT uses light waves to take detailed

cross-section images of your retina and the tissues beneath it. If you have drusen that may be problematic, your doctor will check for symptoms of macular degeneration using an Amsler grid,

which looks like a graph paper with dark lines forming a grid. Early signs of macular degeneration can include wavy, broken or distorted lines, or blurred or missing patches on the grid.

Though there is no treatment for drusen, you can take steps to slow the progression of the AMD that's associated with them, Awh says. “Once someone has macular degeneration, we educate

and have them monitor their vision at home daily and report if there are any changes. We also examine them at regular intervals, depending on the severity.” Studies show that you may also be

able to slow the progression of dry AMD by taking a blend of eye-protective supplements: vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, specifically those used in the large Age-Related Eye Disease

Studies (AREDS) — major clinical trials sponsored by the National Eye Institute: * Vitamin C (400 mg) * Vitamin E (400 IU) * Lutein (10 mg) * Zeaxanthin (2 mg) * Zinc (80 mg) * Copper (2 mg)

But don't go out and buy these supplements, which are branded as AREDS2 and are available over the counter, without consulting your doctor, Awh cautions. Recent research shows that,

for a few people, they may do more harm than good. “Though these supplements are appropriate for the average patient with AMD, I have been part of recent investigations that have found that

they can increase the risk of getting worse for a small percentage of people,” he says. “We can determine that risk through genetic testing." THE CHOLESTEROL CONNECTION Cholesterol is a

component of drusen, and there are similar risk factors between hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and AMD. That's caused some researchers to question whether the same drugs

that can protect against cholesterol buildup in the arteries, like statins, can reduce the presence of drusen in the eyes. Turns out, they can. In a 2016 study, researchers gave 23 adults

with AMD and many large drusen high doses (80 mg) of atorvastatin daily for 12 months. At the end of the study, 10 of the participants had fewer and smaller drusen and better visual acuity.

None of them had progressed to advanced AMD. "More research needs to be done,” says Carl Awh, M.D., president of the American Society of Retina Specialists, “but that does imply

there's a link." What you can and should do, whether you have drusen and AMD or not: Don't smoke, and eat vision-protecting foods such as dark leafy greens, yellow fruits and

vegetables, fish and a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, which has been shown to be beneficial for people with AMD, according to the AAO.