| Degeneration is a medical condition which results in | | | | addition to the above symptoms, straight lines |
| vision loss in the center of the visual field (the | | | | may appear wavy. Also, in this more severe |
| macula) because of damage to the retina. Macular | | | | form, central vision loss can occur rapidly, |
| degeneration can advance to legal blindness and | | | | sometimes within days or weeks. |
| inability to drive. | | | | During the early stages of macular degeneration, |
| The macula, a paper-thin tissue is located roughly | | | | and if only one eye is affected, there may be no |
| in the center of the retina and at the back of the | | | | symptoms at all. Additionally, neither form of |
| eye where light sensitive cells send visual signals | | | | macular degeneration (dry or wet) causes any |
| to the brain. It is temporal to the optic nerve. It is | | | | sort of pain. However, a retinal specialist may be |
| a small and highly sensitive part of the retina | | | | able to detect early signs of the disease before |
| responsible for your detailed central vision. Sharp, | | | | symptoms appear. Therefore, it is very important |
| clear, straight-ahead vision is processed by the | | | | to have regular eye examinations to detect these |
| macula, and damage to it results in blind spots and | | | | signs as soon as possible. |
| blurred or distorted vision. | | | | To help diagnose macular degeneration, an eye |
| Macular degeneration can occur in either a dry or | | | | care professional or retinal specialist will perform a |
| wet form. The condition mostly occurs in elderly | | | | comprehensive eye exam which may include |
| patients and is the leading cause of severe vision | | | | several of the following tests and diagnosis. The |
| loss in people over the age of 60. With macular | | | | Amsler grid is a test whereby the patient may be |
| degeneration, it can be extremely difficulty or | | | | asked to look at a grid composed of black, |
| impossible to read and distinguish faces, although | | | | straight lines running horizontally and vertically, and |
| there seems to be enough peripheral vision | | | | a black dot in the center. For people with macular |
| remaining to carry out other daily activities. | | | | degeneration who stare at the black dot, the lines |
| The retina is located in the inner layer of the eye | | | | on the grid may appear wavy, distorted or |
| and contains vital nerves that broadcast your | | | | disappear completely. A dilated eye exam might |
| sight. In behind the retina is the choroid which | | | | be necessary to view the back of the retina. |
| supplies blood to the retina. In the the dry form | | | | Dilation, which would be administered by using eye |
| (nonexudative) of Macular Degeneration, cellular | | | | drops to dilate the pupils, allows the doctor see |
| debris called drusen can accumulate between the | | | | the retina more easily to determine any optic |
| retina and the chroroid, and the retina can | | | | nerve damage. An ophthalmoscopy might also be |
| become detached. In the wet form (exudative) | | | | undertaken. This tests is where the pupil is dilated |
| blood vessels grow from the choroid behind the | | | | and a bright beam of light is aimed into the eye |
| retina and the retina can also become detated. | | | | to view the retina, choroid, blood vessels and |
| The wet form of the condition is by far the more | | | | optic disk. Fundus photography is where the pupil |
| severe. It can be treated with laser coagulation, | | | | is dilated, light is focused through the cornea, pupil |
| and with medication that stops and sometimes | | | | and lens, and a customized camera photographs |
| reverses the growth of the blood vessels. | | | | at high res the back of the eye, including the |
| Macular degneration begins usually with | | | | retina, macula and optic nerve. Fluorescein |
| characterstic yellow deposits in the the macula, | | | | angiography might also have to be undertaken if |
| the central area of the retina called the fovea. | | | | the wet form of macular degeneration is |
| The yellow deposits are called drusen and they | | | | suspected, this test may be done to detect |
| develop between the retinal pigment epithelium | | | | leaking blood vessels. A dye is injected into the |
| and the choroid. Most patients who develop these | | | | arm of the patient, and is traced as it courses |
| early characteristics have good vision. However, | | | | through the blood vessels in the retina, where it |
| people with drusen can go on to develop | | | | can reveal leakage. |
| advanced age-related maculopathy or AMD. The | | | | It is extremely important to have regular eye |
| risks are much higer with larger and more | | | | examinations, particularly as individuals get older, |
| numerous amounts of drusen. Recent research | | | | or if you have any of the risk factors associated |
| does suggest that large, soft drusen are related | | | | with Macular Degeneration. If only one eye is |
| to heightened cholesterol deposits and may be | | | | affected, as mentioned previously, by macular |
| treated with cholesterol lowering agents. | | | | degeneration, there may be no noticeable |
| Often, the dry form (exudative) of macular | | | | symptoms or signs, but a doctor can still make an |
| degeneration initially causes slightly blurred central | | | | accurate diagnosis of any conditions. Early |
| vision, both near and far. The center of vision | | | | diagnosis and treatment may help control |
| may become slightly fuzzy or shadowed, and this | | | | progression of the disease, and stabilize or even |
| area grows larger as the disease develops. Blind | | | | restore some vision. |
| spots may develop, and it is normally more | | | | For additional information or to schedule an Eye |
| difficult to see color and fine detail. | | | | Examination, please contact us at (866) 611-7556. |
| Commonly, in wet macular degeneration, in | | | | |