| Of all the ailments which affect the elderly, | | | | onset of the disease. The progress of the |
| macular degeneration, a disorder of the eye is | | | | condition is so slow that many people do not |
| perhaps one of the most common. Chances are | | | | even realize that they are suffering from this |
| that though we hear about this term, many of us | | | | type of eye disorder or that they are not being |
| may not have much information about it. | | | | able to see properly, till the disease has |
| However to understand what this disorder is, you | | | | progressed considerably. It is also true that for |
| have to familiarized yourself with the inner parts | | | | many elderly people the condition deteriorates |
| of the eye. | | | | very fast and they become completely blind. |
| The retina, located at the center of the inner lining | | | | There can be two types of macular degeneration |
| of the eye, has a particular area called the macula. | | | | - dry and wet, the former being more common |
| When a person is suffering from macular | | | | than the latter. In fact, close to 85 to 90% people |
| degeneration, the macula area may get thinner, | | | | diagnosed with this condition would invariably be |
| become dysfunctional or sometimes may also | | | | suffering from the dry form of the disease. While |
| bleed. It is important to note that it is the macula | | | | the appearance of yellowish spots in the retina is |
| area of the eye which allows us to see the finer | | | | the first signs of the dry form, in the wet form, |
| details. So if this condition is neglected, it may lead | | | | new blood vessels develop in the macula area, |
| to loss of vision. In this condition the patient | | | | causing vision loss. |
| gradually loses the ability to read as well as | | | | The other early symptoms of this condition |
| recognize faces. | | | | include: blurred or distorted vision and vision |
| This condition is also known by another name: | | | | obstruction caused by shadowy areas. A qualified |
| AMD or AMRD - age related macular | | | | eye doctor usually diagnoses this disorder even |
| degeneration. This condition is so rampant that | | | | before its onset simply by examining the retinal |
| according to the American Academy of | | | | condition. Usually the doctor recommends an |
| Ophthalmology, this is a leading cause of blindness | | | | angiography of the eye if a distorted or blurring |
| in America, affecting mainly people who are over | | | | of vision is detected. |
| 50 years of age. The Archives of Ophthalmology | | | | Interestingly, this condition is more common in |
| had estimated in 2004 that there were nearly | | | | whites and in women than men. Who are at risk? |
| 1.75 million people who showed symptoms of this | | | | Usually it has been attributed to a gene variant |
| condition and this number would rise to nearly 3 | | | | called the complement factor H (CFH) and this |
| million by 2020. | | | | factor is normally associated to more than half of |
| Though the disease is not necessarily painful, the | | | | the blindness that affects old people, suffering |
| cells in the macula area are destroyed by the | | | | from macular degeneration. |