Ezer Mizion’s Malka Hager Fitness Center is continuing to attract and educate seniors with its relevant and informative lectures.
The latest one took place at Ezer Mizion’s Jacob Fried Building about common eye diseases among the elderly, and particularly Age Related Macular Degenerati
on (AMD) – a degenerative age-related disease.
The talk was delivered by Dr. Gidon Na’or, chairman of the AMD Association of Israel. The topic aroused great interest, as evidenced by the crowd of over one hundred people, comprised of senior citizens and their care giving relatives, who attended the lecture.
AMD (NaMaG, in the Hebrew form) is a genetic-based illness that causes gradual degeneration of the retina in advanced age and is the number one cause of legal blindness. The illness first manifests itself as reduced distinction of visual details. With time, it affects abilities to drive, read, and function around the home, until the patient loses his visual capacity completely.
As of today, no known cure is available yet for AMD. There are treatments and accessories that can slow the degenerative process and enhance the senior’s independent functioning. 
The purpose of the lecture was to raise public awareness of the disease (as well as other visual impairments), provide theoretical knowledge about the condition, and also offer practical information about who to turn to, what can be done, and where to find support groups.
As Dr. Na’or explained, the main goal of the association is to help AMD sufferers regain maximum functioning, in spite of their condition. He placed great weight on the importance of visual examinations and follow-up in the senior years.
Further information can be obtained at the AMD website: www.namag.org.il or office@namag.org.il.
