Macular Degeneration
We successfully treat Macular Degeneration for our patients. Please make an appointment today to learn more about how we can help you or your loved ones.
What is Macular Degeneration?
Age related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a disease which may result in severe loss of central vision. You cannot see fine details which come from the central vision but peripheral vision is preserved. Early on there are often no symptoms, but some people over time, experience a gradual worsening of vision that can make it hard to recognize faces, drive, read, or perform other activities of daily life.
Macular degeneration typically occurs in older people, and is the leading cause of blindness in patients over 50 years of age. Genetic factors and smoking may play a role. The condition is diagnosed through a complete eye exam.
AMD is categorized into two forms- dry and wet AMD.
Dry AMD which accounts for over 80% of patients, causes drusen to accumulate in the central macula. Drusen are cellular debris that can gradually damage the light-sensitive cells- rods and cones.
Wet form AMD is much less common but can cause severe loss of central vision. When new, abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula, they cause blood and fluid to leak into the retina. This leakage can cause rapid vision loss and if not treated in a timely manner, the loss of vision may be permanent.
Who is at Risk of AMD?
The number one risk factor to macular degeneration is genetic predisposition.
However certain risks can worsen the disease and cause it to occur at an earlier age.
These include:
Smoke cigarettes
Are overweight
Are over 50 years old
Have a family history of AMD
Eat a diet high in saturated fat (found in foods like meat, butter, and cheese)
For these reasons, exercising, eating well, and not smoking may reduce the risk of macular degeneration.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of AMD
In early AMD, patients may be asymptomatic, or may present with mildly blurred vision. Metamorphopsia or distorted vision where straight lines appear wavy- may occur.
Those with wet macular degeneration often notice a rapid onset of vision loss due to leakage and bleeding of abnormal blood vessels. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can preserve more of the vision before permanent scarring occurs.
Treatments for Macular Degeneration
Dry AMD treatment
People with lots of drusen or serious vision loss might benefit from taking a certain combination of nutritional supplements. A large study (AREDS and the later AREDS 2 study) found people with certain drusen may slow their dry AMD by taking these vitamins and minerals daily:
Vitamin C (500 mg)
Vitamin E (400 IU)
Lutein (10 mg)
Zeaxanthin (2 mg)
Zinc (80 mg)
Copper (2 mg)
Wet AMD treatment
Timely diagnosis and treatment of the wet form can prevent severe loss of vision. However there is no cure or treatment that restores the vision already lost. Medications called anti-VEGF help reduce the number of abnormal blood vessels thereby slowing or stopping the leakage into the retina that causes the permanent damage and vision loss. That is why it's important to diagnose wet AMD as early as possible and initiate the anti-VEGF treatments in order to maximize and preserve vision.
