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| UNIVERSITY OPHTHALMOLOGY CONSULTANTS |
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WHAT
IS AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION?
Age-related
macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that causes
progressive damage to the macula,
a small, specialized part of the eye that allows us
to see fine details clearly. When the macula malfunctions,
people experience blurring or darkness in the center
of their vision. AMD affects both distance and close
vision, but it does not result in total blindness.
AMD can cause different symptoms in different people
and may hardly be noticeable in its early stages. Sometimes
only one eye loses vision while the other eye retains
good vision for many years. Some common ways vision
loss is detected are: words on a page look blurred;
a dark or empty area appears in the center of vision;
or straight lines look distorted.
"Age-related macular degeneration is the leading
cause of legal blindness in patients over the age of
55 years. Thirty percent of people over the age of 70
have some signs of the disease. As our populations'
average age increases, it will become an increasingly
important public health problem," says Marco
Zarbin, MD, PhD, Chairman of The
Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science.
The cause of AMD is not completely understood, but
it seems to be related to the body's aging process.
Fortunately, only a small percentage of patients with
AMD experience severe visual loss. There are two forms
of AMD that cause visual loss: "dry" (atrophic)
and "wet" (exudative). "Dry"
AMD is caused by aging and thinning
of the tissues in the macula. "Wet"
AMD is caused by the growth of abnormal
blood vessels under the macula. These vessels bleed
and cause macular scarring which can result in profound
loss of central vision.
Patients consuming diets in leafy green vegetables
(for example, spinach, collard greens) seem to have
a lower risk of developing "wet" AMD. Vitamin
and mineral supplements may also be useful in prevention.
The evidence supporting their use is limited, however,
and supplementation should be done under the supervision
of a physician. Some patients with "wet" AMD
may benefit from laser
therapy, a proven treatment. Only a highly experienced
ophthalmologist (usually a retina specialist) can determine
whether laser therapy is indicated.
Finally, for the many AMD patients with impaired vision,
the Low
Vision Center, located in DOC, Suite 6100, offers
visual rehabilitation with low aids (for example, magnifiers,
computerized reading machines). These aids can be useful
even for patients with untreatable disease.
.........................
In-Depth Article on Age-Related Macular Degeneration
.........................
| WHAT IS AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION? | ||
|
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that causes progressive damage to the macula, a small, specialized part of the eye that allows us to see fine details clearly. When the macula malfunctions, people experience blurring or darkness in the center of their vision. AMD affects both distance and close vision, but it does not result in total blindness. AMD can cause different symptoms in different people and may hardly be noticeable in its early stages. Sometimes only one eye loses vision while the other eye retains good vision for many years. Some common ways vision loss is detected are: words on a page look blurred; a dark or empty area appears in the center of vision; or straight lines look distorted. "Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in patients over the age of 55 years. Thirty percent of people over the age of 70 have some signs of the disease. As our populations' average age increases, it will become an increasingly important public health problem," says Marco Zarbin, MD, PhD, Chairman of The Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science. The cause of AMD is not completely understood, but it seems to be related to the body's aging process. Fortunately, only a small percentage of patients with AMD experience severe visual loss. There are two forms of AMD that cause visual loss: "dry" (atrophic) and "wet" (exudative). "Dry" AMD is caused by aging and thinning of the tissues in the macula. "Wet" AMD is caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels under the macula. These vessels bleed and cause macular scarring which can result in profound loss of central vision. Patients consuming diets in leafy green vegetables (for example, spinach, collard greens) seem to have a lower risk of developing "wet" AMD. Vitamin and mineral supplements may also be useful in prevention. The evidence supporting their use is limited, however, and supplementation should be done under the supervision of a physician. Some patients with "wet" AMD may benefit from laser therapy, a proven treatment. Only a highly experienced ophthalmologist (usually a retina specialist) can determine whether laser therapy is indicated. Finally, for the many AMD patients with impaired vision, the Low Vision Center, located in DOC, Suite 6100, offers visual rehabilitation with low aids (for example, magnifiers, computerized reading machines). These aids can be useful even for patients with untreatable disease. ......................... In-Depth Article on Age-Related Macular Degeneration .........................
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