Macular Degeneration
Close to twenty million U.S. adults have a progressive eye condition called macular degeneration. This eye condition can potentially rob these people of the ability to clearly see anything they view in their direct line of sight.
This loss of vision can impact their ability to read, to drive, or even to recognize faces. In recent years, a few treatment options have emerged that help slow or stop the progression of macular degeneration.
Even so, the damage caused by this serious eye condition remains permanent and irreversible.
What is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration is an eye condition involving the deterioration of a part of the retina called the macula. The macula processes light into images within the person’s central field of vision.
As its cells deteriorate, the macula gradually loses its capacity to effectively process images. Eventually, a person with macular degeneration may find it difficult to see the fine detail of objects viewed directly, or they may see nothing but a dark or blank spot.
What Causes Macular Degeneration?
The exact causes of macular degeneration are not known, but researchers believe a number of factors play a role. Genetics stands out as one possible factor, as the condition seems more common in certain families or larger people groups.
Women are also more likely than men to develop macular degeneration. The condition also seems to have higher incidences among people with lifestyle habits like smoking or inflammatory diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure.
However, the group with the highest incidences of the condition is people over fifty, which is why macular degeneration is often called age-related macular degeneration.
Are There Signs or Symptoms of Macular Degeneration?
Like other progressive eye conditions that worsen with time, people with macular degeneration may not notice any problems with their eyesight in the beginning. However, eventually, signs and symptoms of the eye condition will begin to occur.
The most common of these are:
These signs often indicate permanent macular damage that has already occurred. As symptoms worsen, a person could lose critical portions of their vision that seriously interfere with daily activities like reading, driving, or working up close.
If you notice any changes in your vision or any of the symptoms listed above, it is essential to have your eyes examined by your North Valley Eye Care eye doctor.
Wet and Dry Macular Degeneration
What is Wet Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration can take two different forms. One form, the more serious but less common of the two, is called wet macular degeneration.
This form occurs when new blood vessels start to develop abnormally under the retina. This can happen for various reasons, such as a genetic defect or a traumatic injury.
These abnormal vessels are not as strong as normal ones, so they can easily leak, hence the term “wet.” They can also increase the risk of scarring on the macula surface, which can interfere with vision.
With the wet form, symptoms can occur early and suddenly in the process.
What is Dry Macular Degeneration?
The other form, dry macular degeneration, occurs when the macular tissues weaken and thin over time. This process may also lead to the formation of yellow deposits called drusen, which may also interfere with the macula’s function.
The dry form typically develops more slowly than the wet, with symptoms appearing later and with less suddenness. However, should abnormal blood vessel growth occur, the dry form could progress to the wet form.
How is Macular Degeneration Treated?
Current treatment methods cannot reverse any macular damage that is already occurred. However, there are ways to prevent the eye condition’s process and prevent or at least minimize future damage and vision loss.
North Valley Eye Care offers a number of options to help macular degeneration patients manage their condition.
AREDS Vitamins
The National Eye Institute recently sponsored a series of trials called Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS) to evaluate the use of nutritional supplements for treating eye disease. These studies found that a significant number of macular degeneration patients saw a slowing of their condition’s progression after taking a certain combination of vitamins and antioxidants on a regular basis.
The most recent of those studies recommend the following nutritional substances specifically for macular degeneration patients:
Your eye doctor at North Valley Eye Care will tell you if taking these vitamins is a good idea for you or not.
Intravitreal Injections
The abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye during wet macular degeneration is often triggered by a signal released by a protein known as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). To inhibit VEGF, researchers have developed a family of drugs characterized as anti-VEGF that stops the protein from producing blood vessel growth signals.
Patients receive an anti-VEGF drug through an injection inserted into the eye. Because your eye will be numbed, if you need a retinal injection, you will feel no pain or, at most, a mild discomfort.
If your eye doctor tells you that you need these injections, you will likely need to have them routinely to prevent the progress of the condition.
Are you experiencing changes in your vision? Schedule an appointment at North Valley Eye Care in Chico, CA, today!
