More about Eye Disease

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Glaucoma

Graves Disease

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), also known as macular degeneration, is a common eye disorder. It’s caused by deterioration of the macula, a small area in the center of the retina in the back of the eye. Macular degeneration causes central vision loss. Your central vision is what you see in front of you when you’re looking straight ahead. Your peripheral vision is what you see on the side when you’re looking straight ahead. Macular degeneration doesn’t cause total blindness because it doesn’t affect your peripheral vision. It’s estimated that 11 million Americans have this disease. It’s the number one cause of vision loss.

Types

There are two types of macular degeneration: Dry macular degeneration affects about 85 to 90 percent of people with the condition. It occurs due to small yellow deposits called drusen developing under the macula. Wet macular degeneration affects the remaining 10 to 15 percent. It occurs when abnormal blood vessels develop under the retina and macula.

Symptoms

Macular degeneration is a progressive disease. This means that it’ll get worse over time. You may not notice vision problems in the early stages of the disease. You’re also less likely to notice vision changes when they affect both eyes at the same time. The signs and symptoms of dry macular degeneration include: A reduction in central vision; A distortion of straight lines in your field of vision; The need for brighter lighting; Difficulty adapting to low lights; Blurriness; Trouble recognizing faces; Retinal damage. Some symptoms of wet macular degeneration resemble those of dry macular degeneration, such as visual distortions and reduced central vision. If you have wet macular degeneration, you may also experience: A blurry spot in your field of vision; A dark spot in the center of your vision due to blood vessels bleeding or leaking fluid; Hazy vision; Rapidly worsening symptoms. Wet macular degeneration progresses more quickly than dry macular degeneration.

Treatments

There’s currently no cure available for macular degeneration, but your doctor can recommend options to help slow the disease progression. Treatment for wet macular degeneration. If you have wet macular degeneration, you’ll benefit from working with a low-vision rehabilitation specialist. The specialist can teach you how to adjust to and cope with vision loss. Your doctor may also inject a medication directly into your eye to stop the growth of new blood vessels. These medications are known as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs. They include ranibizumab (Lucentis) and aflibercept (Eylea). It can take several weeks of treatment before you notice a difference. Another treatment option is photodynamic therapy. Your doctor injects a medication into a vein in one of your arms and then uses a special laser to close up leaking blood vessels. This type of therapy can improve your vision, but you may need multiple treatments. Photocoagulation is another option. This involves the use of high-energy laser beams to destroy abnormal blood vessels. Treatment for dry macular degeneration. If you have dry macular degeneration, your doctor may also suggest that you work with a low-vision rehabilitation specialist. In addition, they may recommend surgery to help improve your vision. During the surgery, they’ll implant a telescopic lens in your eye to replace the natural lens. This magnifies your field of vision. Researchers have found connections between age-related macular degeneration and some lifestyle choices. Experts say you can decrease your risks of age-related macular degeneration by: Not smoking; Avoiding secondhand smoke; Exercising regularly; Keeping normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels; Eating a healthy diet