World Day of the Elderly 2018

Monday, 1 October 2018, marks World Day of the Elderly. The increase in life expectancy has changed the composition of the global population to such an extent that almost 70 million people are over 60 years old.

Older people can keep contributing to the good working of society in a substantial manner as long as the proper guarantees are established; therefore, it is necessary to pay greater attention to their particular needs and challenges.

From the age of 50, many diseases such as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) begin to manifest themselves. Moreover, they often do not have symptoms that are evident for patients. This is why early detection is vital, especially for those with a family history of AMD.

AMD - progressive degeneration of the macula – is the leading cause of vision loss in the Western world in patients of over 50 years old. At present, over 25 million people suffer from this disease worldwide and 500,000 sufferers are added every year.

As this is a condition that is associated with ageing, AMD cannot be prevented but there are factors associated with lifestyle that can reduce the risk of developing the disease. These include not smoking, following a healthy diet - one that is rich in fruit and vegetables and low in animal fat – exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight.

This explains why the Institut de la Mácula provides comprehensive care to our patients on the understanding that we form part of a crucial time in their lives when they are confronted by an unknown disease, such as exudative AMD.

At the Institut de la Mácula, we believe in a holistic conception of medicine that is based on four pillars: medical excellence, personalised medicine, research and services that accompany, advise, inform and assist patients throughout the process.