Unfortunately, having a parent or sibling with macular degeneration increases your chances of developing the condition by three to four times. However, the good news is that there are steps you can take to protect your eyesight and treatments available if you do get it. Here is what you should know.

What is AMD?

Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration, is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over age 60, affecting 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 affects the ability to do routine daily tasks like reading, driving and watching television, but it does not cause total blindness.

There are two types of AMD – dry and wet. Dry AMD, which affects about 85% to 90% of all people that have AMD, progresses slowly and painlessly over a period of years. 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 race.

What You Can Do

For anyone over the age of 65, it is recommended to have an annual eye examination by an ophthalmologist. They can spot early signs of AMD before vision loss occurs. Early signs 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. You can find and use an Amsler chart by searching for it online.

There is currently no cure for AMD but if you are high risk, there are steps you can take to help manage it. These include eating antioxidant-rich foods such as dark green, leafy vegetables, and cold-water fish for their omega-3 fatty acids. Protecting your eyes from the sun by wearing UV protective sunglasses, controlling high blood pressure and exercising regularly may also help. If you smoke, quitting is another important step to help reduce risk.

Dry AMD Treatments

If you are diagnosed with AMD, your doctor may recommend 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%.

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 (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-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs (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 effective but do not require monthly treatments. Most patients on these medications can go three to four months between injections.

Medical Advice

The information in this article is for informational purposes only. Always consult the advice of a doctor or other qualified medical professional for any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

There are several specific scams that are promoted on social media. These include the Fuel Tax Credit, the Sick and Family Leave Credit, false household employment taxes and overstated withholding. The improper claims often lead to delayed refunds because the IRS must hold up the return and investigate to understand if the deduction or credit is proper.

Social media is ubiquitous in American society. However, social media posts may come from individuals from foreign nations who do not understand U.S. tax rules. The IRS urges taxpayers to be cautious about social media advice. There is a social media trend toward excessive promises and claims about various types of tax credits and deductions. The challenge for individuals is that many social media comments encourage you to follow the improper tax advice. You may think, “Surely all of these supposedly expert individuals cannot be wrong.”

The IRS has specific recommendations to protect individuals from these social media fraudsters and scammers.

1. Suspicious Refund Claims — If the IRS receives tax returns with frequently false credits or deduction claims, it will hold up the tax refunds and attempt to verify the claim. This is particularly true for the Fuel Tax Credit, the Sick and Family Leave Credit for Self-Employed Individuals and overstated withholding.
2. You Receive an IRS Letter — If you receive Letter 5747c, Potential Identity Theft during Original Processing – TAC, you should follow the directions on the letter. It will generally not be helpful to visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) or contact the IRS over the phone. Each letter has specific instructions you should follow.
3. Filing a Frivolous Return — There are potential serious consequences if the IRS believes that your tax return is frivolous. If your return is not valid, you should file a complete and accurate return within 30 days. If you do not file an amended return, you could be subject to penalties of $5,000 for the improper return or asked to submit to a compliance audit with the IRS. If the abuse is serious, the IRS may initiate a criminal prosecution.
4. Fuel Tax Credit Qualification — The fuel credit is meant only for off-highway vehicles used in businesses, farms, ranches, aviation or commercial fishing. It is not available to most taxpayers.
5. Sick and Family Leave Credit — The Sick and Family Leave Credit was enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was available for individuals with a trade or business and was designed to assist self-employed individuals during the pandemic. This credit was only available during 2020 and 2021. It may not be claimed on a 2022 or 2023 tax return.
6. Overstated Withholding — Another scam that is promoted in social media invites taxpayers to create fictional employees. The taxpayer then manually fills out a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and claims there was a large withholding amount. The taxpayer hopes to receive a large refund for this fraudulent withholding. The IRS verifies withholding claimed on tax returns and is likely to audit the taxpayer.

Editor's Note: During the pandemic, many credits and deductions were passed for valid reasons. However, social media scammers tend to promise far more than is authorized. Taxpayers should be on guard and use a reputable tax preparer to ensure their returns are correctly completed.

There are several small improvements and simple modifications that can make a big difference in making an older adult’s kitchen safer and easier to use. Depending on each person’s specific needs, here are some kitchen tips to consider.

Lights: If the lighting in the kitchen needs improvement, replace an overhead fixture with a new ceiling light. In addition, add LED lighting under kitchen cabinets to brighten up the countertops.

Floors: If the kitchen has throw rugs, replace them with non-skid floor mats to reduce potential tripping or slipping hazards. Also, consider purchasing gel mats which have cushioning and offer greater comfort when standing for extended periods of time.

Cabinets and drawers: To reduce bending or reaching, organize the kitchen cabinets and drawers so that the items that are most frequently used are within a comfortable reach. You can also make the lower cabinets and pantry easier to access by installing pullout shelves or rotating trays. It is also helpful to install pull-down shelves in the upper cabinets so that your parent does not have to get on a stool to reach things on high shelves. It is also recommended to replace cabinet and drawer knobs with “D” or “C” shaped pull-handles because they are more comfortable to grasp.

Faucet: If the kitchen has a twist-handle kitchen faucet, replace it with an ADA- compliant single handle faucet or with a touch, motion or digital smart faucet. These alternative faucets are easier to operate, especially for those with arthritis or gripping problems. For safety purposes, set the hot water tank at 120 degrees to prevent possible burns.

Microwave and cooktop safety: If the microwave is mounted above the stove, consider moving it to the countertop so your parent does not have to reach over a cooktop to insert or remove food. To prevent home cooking fires, there are automatic stovetop devices that will turn off electric and gas stovetops when left unattended. To guard against microwave fires, there are devices that will automatically shut off the power to the microwave when smoke is detected.

Shopping for Appliances

If you are looking to upgrade appliances, there are a variety of different features to keep in mind.

Refrigerator: French-door refrigerators that open in the middle are great for seniors because it makes it easier to see and reach inside. Pullout adjustable height shelves and a water/ice dispenser on the outside of the door are also very convenient.

Stove or cooktop: Look for a stovetop with controls in the front that are easy to see and reach. Flat surfaced electric induction burners or continuous grates on gas stoves are also great for sliding heavy pots and pans from one burner to the next. Some cooktops also come with automatic shut off burners which will turn off when it detects excessively high temperatures.

Oven: When purchasing an oven, consider a side-swing door model. These models are easier to reach into without having to lean over a hot, swing-down door. Also consider a wall-mounted oven to eliminate bending. Self-cleaning ovens are helpful to eliminate bending over and twisting to clean.

Dishwasher: Consider a drawer-style dishwasher that slides in and out for easier access and, if possible, have it installed on a raised platform 12 to 24 inches above floor level so it can be loaded and unloaded without bending over.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.