| Living with low vision is a concern for many, | | | | macular degeneration. Age is a factor; most |
| especially those age fifty and over. One of the | | | | people with this disease are age fifty and over, |
| types of eye problems often associated with | | | | although on occasion it will affect children. Those |
| people in this age range is age related macular | | | | with a family history of the disease are also at a |
| degeneration. A degenerative condition of the | | | | greater risk for developing it as well. Some |
| macula, which is located at the back of the retina | | | | individuals have a gene that puts them at risk. |
| in the eye, this can leave the patient with low | | | | People who are obese, eat a high fat diet and |
| vision suitable for reading, driving and other | | | | suffer from high blood pressure stand a greater |
| close-up work where detailed sight is required. | | | | chance of developing macular degeneration, as do |
| Your ophthalmologist is your best resource for | | | | Caucasians. |
| detecting early macular degeneration. He or she | | | | What vision aids are available? |
| can then offer you preferred treatment options, | | | | After the detection process, your physician will |
| as well as a full range of eye glasses specific to | | | | provide you with the best options for treatment. |
| this disease, low vision magnifiers, and other aids | | | | They could include the use of low vision |
| to help you see better and live a full and active | | | | magnifiers, as well as specialized eye glasses |
| life. | | | | Magnifiers can be as simple as a hand-held device |
| What Procedures Will My Doctor Use for | | | | all the way up to lenses that clip over your |
| Detecting Early Macular Degeneration? | | | | glasses, so that you can use them for detail vision |
| The first step your physician will take is to ask | | | | when needed, and then flip them out of the way |
| you if you are experiencing any symptoms | | | | when you do not need them. Specialized eye |
| associated with low vision. Symptoms can include | | | | glasses with tiny microscopes allow you to have a |
| blurry vision in the central vision field or portions | | | | very magnified central vision area, yet they are |
| of the vision that are missing, as well as straight | | | | placed on your regular prescription glasses, so |
| lines appearing wavy, an inability to detect color | | | | that you can look under the microscopes when |
| variations between two dark or two light colors, | | | | you want to see through the other lenses, |
| and a long recovery time after you have been | | | | working in much the same way as bifocal lenses |
| out in bright light. | | | | do. Your physician can determine if you are |
| When diagnosing or detecting the root of your | | | | showing signs of early macular degeneration and |
| problems, your doctor will also want to determine | | | | provide you with the best treatment options and |
| how at risk you are for developing age related | | | | vision aids. |