What You Should Know About Macular Degeneration.
As people age, it is expected that vision is not as clear as it once
was. It is important to know, however, that some cases of blurred
vision
may represent a more serious condition known as macular degeneration.
It
is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people 65 and over.
| Compare a normal retina with one affected by macular degeneration. |  |
What is Macular Degeneration?
The macula is a sensitive area located in the center of the retina.
This
area is what allows people to see the fine details that are needed to
read, drive, recognize faces, work on a computer, and do close-up
work,
such as sewing or tying fishing flies.
In macular degeneration, the macula becomes damaged.
There are two types of macular degeneration. Dry macular degeneration
represents 90 percent of the disease, and is caused by the aging and
thinning of the tissues in the macula. It develops slowly over time.
Wet
macular degeneration is caused by new blood vessels that grow beneath
the retina and leak fluid, which can lead to a blind spot in the
center
of your vision.
In most cases of macular degeneration, people are 60 and older.
Sometimes it can affect people in their 40s. There is no known cause
of
macular degeneration.
What Are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of macular degeneration are often slow to be recognized.
You may notice a dimming of vision while you read. Other symptoms
include:
- blurry or fuzzy vision
- straight lines, such as sentences on a page or telephone poles,
appear to zig-zag.
- a dark or empty area appears in the center of your field of vision
How Is Macular Degeneration Treated?
There is no proven treatment for dry macular degeneration, although
some
people believe that anti-oxidant vitamins or zinc may help to reduce
the
risk. Obviously, having a good diet with the proper nutrients is
beneficial for everyone. It may be helpful to combine a good diet with
a
vitamin and mineral supplement that provides the proper amount of
anti-oxidant vitamins and zinc. It is not a good idea to take very
high
doses of such vitamins and minerals. To find out more, ask your
ophthalmologist for advice.
Outpatient laser surgery may help to destroy the abnormal blood
vessels
in wet macular degeneration.
There are also vision aids that can help to make the most of the
peripheral or side vision that remains. Macular degeneration affects
only the center vision.
