It is estimated that almost 2 million people have Macular Degeneration and approximately 4x that many people are at risk.
Macular Degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss in people over 50, an eye disease that is increasing due to the fact that people are living longer as it is much more common in older people. You hear about it in the media much more frequently now than you did in years past. The big question people have is how can if affect your eyes.
To answer that question we first need to examine the eye’s anatomy.
Macular Degeneration occurs in the macula which is located in the back of the eye in the retina. It is the center structure in the retina and its function controls your fine acuity (ability to see things sharply) and your color vision. When a person has pigment and/or structural changes to the macula it can affect those two functions.
A person is much more sensitive to changes in their central vision compared to their side or peripheral vision so people tend to notice even subtle changes.
These changes can include
- blurring of vision
- wavy images or breaks in images
- changes in your perception of colors or small central blind spots
There are 2 different types of Macular Degeneration, the Dry form and the Wet form. The vast majority of people have the Dry form which has a better prognosis than the Wet form.
There is no specific treatment for the Dry form but studies have shown that certain vitamins can limit or slow progression. You should first talk to one of our doctors about which vitamins would be best before you start any vitamin treatment. The Wet form usually requires either an injection of medication into the eye or possible laser treatment. This is done by a Retinal Specialist who is an Ophthalmologist who specializes in the Retina of the eye.
