Focus Retina

Age related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in the elderly population. This eye disease will gradually destroy the sharp, central vision of the eye. This is the main part of your vision. Without the central vision, you will no longer be able to read, drive or perform routine daily tasks. Macular degeneration affects the part of the eye called the macula. The macula is located right in the center of the retina. The retina is the tissue that lines the back of the eye and it is very light sensitive. The job of the retina is to convert light or images into electrical impulses and send these impulses to the brain. There are two types of macular degeneration. There is 'wet...

Age-related Macular Degeneration or AMD is a common eye disease that causes progressive damage to the central part of the retina, also known as the Macula. AMD is the leading cause of visual impairment in the United States, and blindness in senior citizens of America, aged 65 and older. As people age, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which supplies nutrients from the choroid (layer of blood vessels that nourishes the cones and rods of the retina) to the retina and helps remove waste products, may deteriorate. This results in the formation of waste deposits and the light-sensitive cells of the macula may be damaged due to lack of nutrients. The normal signals sent through the optic nerve to the...

A number of studies have shown that eating fish regularly or taking Omega 3 fish oil capsules can help slow down the progress of macular degeneration and offers preventative benefits against developing it in the first place. So what is Macular Degeneration? Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of loss of vision in people over the age of 65. The macula is a small area in the centre of the retina and if the macular cells become damaged then this affects our central vision and our ability to see right in front of us. No one knows the cause of macular degeneration although age, poor diet, genetic tendency, excessive sunlight and smoking are all believed to increase the risk. When...

Wet AMD is called wet because of its new and leaky blood vessels that grow in the choroid layer of the retina. The goal of most wet macular degeneration treatments is to stop any further bleeding in the macular. This is so important because when these immature blood vessels leak, they permanently damage the photoreceptor cells. Can wet macular degeneration be reversed with any of these treatments? Not usually. Again the goal is to stop or slow the progression of this disease. Here are the treatment options for wet AMD. CONVENTIONAL THERAPY 1. Visudyne or Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) PDT uses a laser after a person has been injected with a light-sensitive medicine called verteporfin (Visudyne). It...

linical trial called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study sponsored by the National Eye Institute found that high levels of antioxidants and zinc significantly reduce the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. Advanced age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss. The study involved 4,757 participants, 55-80 years of age in 11 clinical centers nationwide. People at high risk of developing advanced stages of AMD received a high-dose combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc. It was an exciting discovery for people at high risk for developing advanced AMD. These nutrients are the first discovered for effective treatment to slow the progression of the...

One of the first signs of Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is distorted vision. Straight lines become wavy and they may have darker areas in the middle of them. You may also have trouble distinguishing between different colors and you might not be able to recover quickly after you have been exposed to any kind of bright light. Your vision may not be compromised greatly at first but you may have some blurriness and blind spots in your central vision field. Anyone over the age of 65 is likely to have ARMD because it is the leading cause of lost vision in elderly people. This group of people (known as the Baby Boomers) is starting to make up a large part of America's population so the disease is...

Age Related Macular Degeneration, known as AMD, is a disease that little by little destroys the sharp, central vision. It keeps the person from being able to perform common everyday tasks such as reading or driving. The person can no longer see details. There is no pain involved. AMD is one of the main causes of vision loss in people over the age of 60. It may come on slowly, and the person may not even be aware of a change in his vision. In other people it progresses rapidly, and it may affect both eyes. Age Related Macular Degeneration affects the macula which is located in the center of the retina at the back of the eye. It allows you to see small details. It is responsible for central vision...

Age Related Macular Degeneration, ARMD is a disease that strikes most people who are over the age of 50. It comes on silently and often the early symptoms are well disguised. Many people have the disease and don't even know it until it is diagnosed by their Ophthalmologist. It usually starts out as minor vision loss in the central vision field, with some areas of blurriness and blind spots. The macula is the central part of the retina and the disease slowly destroys this area of the eye. After the retina is damaged by ARMD, it is impossible for a person to see clearly. The retina is where light waves are transmitted to the brain through electrical impulses. If these impulses are compromised in any...

Finding effective age related macular degeneration treatment is an ongoing process. The disease, also called ARMD, comes in two different forms: dry (which is the less severe form and more common) and wet (which is much more damaging to the eye and can cause severe vision loss). Both types are incurable but there are some treatment options that are being tried to stop the progress of the disease and/or improve and remaining vision. When a person has dry ARMD, his or her loss of vision is gradual and not extremely severe. There is no treatment available at this time other than wearing magnified glasses and always using bright lights when doing detail work or reading. Some eye specialists recommend...