Page 20 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 12, 2024 avvya yavvy eniiooravvy S iorn or v y io iori by Jim Miller How to Prevent and Treat Age-Related Macular Degeneration Dear Savvy Senior, Is macular degeneration hereditary? My mother lost much of her vision from it before she died, and now at age 65, I’m concerned I may get it too. What can you tell me? Brown Eyed Betty Dear Betty, Unfortunately, having a parent or sibling with macular degeneration does indeed increase your risk of getting it by three to four times. But the good news is there are things you can do to protect your eyesight, and a number of treatments that are available if you do happen to get it. Here’s what you should know. What is AMD? Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (or AMD) is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over age 60, aff ecting an estimated 20 million Americans. AMD is a progressive eye disease that damages the macula, the part of the eye that allows us to see objects clearly, causing vision loss in the center of your vision. This aff ects the ability to read, drive, watch television and do routine daily tasks, but it does not cause total blindness. There are two types of AMD – dry and wet. Dry AMD, which affects about 85 to 90 percent of all people that have it, progresses slowly and painlessly over a period of years. While wet AMD is much more aggressive and can cause severe vision loss in a matter of weeks or months. Factors that can increase your risk of getting AMD include age (60 and older); smoking; excessive exposure to sunlight especially if you have light-colored eyes; certain genetic components; a family history of AMD; high blood pressure; obesity; and being Caucasian. What You Can Do For anyone over the age of 65, it’s a smart idea to get your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist every year. They can spot early signs of AMD before vision loss occurs. Early signs, however, may include shadowy areas in your central vision or unusually fuzzy or distorted vision. The Amsler grid is also an excellent tool to check your eyes for AMD at home. Visit Macular.org, and search “amsler chart” to test your sight. While there’s currently no cure for AMD there are things you can do if you’re high risk, including: eating antioxidant-rich foods such as dark green, leafy vegetables, and cold-water fi sh for their omega-3 fatty acids; protecting your eyes from the sun by wearing UV protective sunglasses; controlling high blood pressure; exercising regularly; and if you smoke, quit. Dry AMD Treatments If you do happen to get AMD, your doctor may recommend you start taking a daily dose of antioxidant vitamins and minerals known as AREDS or AREDS2. Studies by the National Eye Institute have shown that while taking these supplements cannot prevent you from getting AMD, they can reduce your risk of progression from intermediate to advanced AMD by about 25 percent. You can purchase AREDS supplements – made by Bausch and Lomb and sold as PreserVision – over the counter in many drugstores and online for around $30 a bottle. There are also two new medications (Syfovre and Izervay) that were approved by the FDA last year to treat a late-stage form of AMD called geographic atrophy or GA. These treatments, which are given either monthly or every other month in the form of an injection into the eye, can slow the progression of GA. Wet AMD Treatments For wet AMD, there are several anti-VEGF medications like Avastin, Lucentis and Eylea that can stop vision loss and may even restore it. These medications, which have been around for more than a decade, are also given by injection into the eye and repeated every month or two. Newer anti-VEGF drugs, like Vabysmo and Eyla HD, are also highly eff ective but don’t require monthly treatments. Most patients on these medications can go three to four months between injections. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. OBITUARIES Diane Marie Solari Of Malden. Lovingly known by “Nunna,” passed away on March 3rd 2024, due to cancer at the age of 69. She was a life-long resident of Malden, MA. Nunna as everyone knew her, is survived by her son Jeremy Goldberg, daughter Shaina Murray, and grandchildren Alex Fobert and Olivia Goldberg Nanna was born in Malden, MA on September 11th 1954 to Robert Solari and Dorothy Solari. She graduated from Malden High School and went on to Mass College of Pharmacy where she later dropped out due to getting pregnant with her fi rst child Jeremy Goldberg and later having her second child Shaina Murray. Nunna had a rough life, but everything changed for the better when her grandchildren came along. She loved her grandchildren dearly. She enjoyed the outdoors, especially plants and fl owers, that lady had a green thumb, everything she planted grew beautifully. She made new friends everywhere she went and was a social butterfl y. She had an uncanny ability to reach people in a deep and positive way. Anyone that knew her, knew that she was a gentle soul, always willing to help others any way she could. She was also hilarious with the stories she would tell, she made everyone laugh. She lived life to the fullest through simple pleasures chatting with friends and family, and especially spending time with her grandchildren. Family, friends, and others whose lives Nunna touched were invited to gather at the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home, Malden on Saturday July 6th 2024 to reminisce, grieve, support each other and of course just chat. Ronald "Ron" Luke A longtime resident of Malden, died unexpectedly Sunday, July 7, 2024 at the age of 70. Ron was born in 1953 and was the son of Arthur and Violet (MacKenzie) Luke. He was raised and educated in Malden, graduating from Malden High with the Class of 1973. After a brief stint at Logan Airport, Ron began his 40 plus year career at the Middlesex Superior Courthouse in Woburn. Ron was one of the longest serving court offi cers in Middlesex Courthouse and also served one term as the Union President of the Court Offi cers Union. Ron was also a popular bartender at the Malden Moose Lodge, where he was a lifelong member as well as a bartender at the Town Line in Malden. In 1990, Ron married the love of his life Darlene M. (LeBlanc) Luke of Malden. They were married at Sacred Heart Church in Malden. They have one son, Ronald B. Luke II. Ron was an avid sports fan. He especially enjoyed watching his son play youth and highschool sports and college baseball. Ron was a true family man, enjoying vacationing with family and friends in New Hampshire, Cape Cod and several cruises. He is survived by his beloved wife, Darlene M. (LeBlanc) Luke and his son, Ronald B Luke II of Malden, his brother Arthur (“Skip”) Luke and his wife Kim of Long Island, New York, as well as several godchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. Ron is predeceased by his parents Arthur and Violet (MacKenzie) Luke, brother George Luke and his sister, Mary (“Mamie”) Doyle of Malden. Funeral Services will be held from the Weir-MacCuish Funeral Home, 144 Salem Street, Malden on Saturday, July 13th at 9 AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am. At St. Joseph Parish. Visitations will be held at the funeral home on Friday, July 12th from 4-8 pm. In Lieu of fl owers donations in Ron’s memory may be made to The Jimmy Fund, 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA 02445 Rose (Capobianco) Pagliarini A longtime resident of Malden, passed away on Friday, July 5, 2024, at the age of 95. Rose was born in Gaeta, Italy, in 1929, the daughter of Cosmo and Antoinetta Capobianco. She was raised and educated in Italy, and at the age of 16 when WWII ended, the family moved to America. The family fi rst settled down in Somerville. When Rose arrived, she took employment at a shoe factory. It was there she met her sweetheart, Salvatore Pagliarini. They were married in 1955, and settled down to raise their family. They shared over 60 years of marriage together until Sal’s passing in 2016. As the children grew, she worked as a seamstress. She later took a position at Bank of America as an Adjuster. She retired from the Bank after working there for many years at the age of 62. In 1988, the family moved to Malden. A devoted Catholic, she joined St. Josephs Parish in Maplewood, and became part of the Church’s community. Rose was the beloved wife of the late Salvatore Pagliarini, devoted mother of Mary Ann Seavey & her husband David of Norwell, Rosemary Scurini
21 Publizr Home