Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is an age-related condition that can impact the center of your visual field. It’s a condition that can last for years with little impact, but as you age the changes can reach the point where seeing clearly becomes impossible. The macula is the most sensitive part of the retina in the back of the eye. It consists of millions of light-sensing cells creating sharp, central vision. The retina converts light into electrical signals which are sent to the brain through the optic nerve. The brain translates these signals to images. If the macular is damaged, the center of your visual field appears blurry, distorted or dark. Macular-Degeneration-582x1024.jpg Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss for those fifty and older. It damages to the macula and for some it worsens very slowly and vision loss takes a long time. For others the progression is much faster, leading to vision loss. A blurry area near the center of vision is often the first visual symptom of AMD. The area may grow, there may be gaps in your vision or objects may not appear as bright as they did in the past. AMD won’t lead to complete blindness, but the loss of central vision can severely hamper performing common activities such as recognizing people, driving, reading, writing, cooking or performing household chores. There are many tools that can help diagnose the early and intermediate stages of AMD, which normally starts without symptoms. During a comprehensive eye exam the condition may be detected by using the following tools,
  • Visual acuity test: This eye chart test measures how well you see at distances.
  • Dilated eye exam: Eye drops cause your pupils to widen or dilate providing a better view of the back of your eye. With the help of a special magnifying lens, your eye care professional can look at your retina and optic nerve for signs of AMD.
  • Amsler grid: You may be asked to look at this grid whose lines may disappear or appear wavy if you’re developing AMD.
  • Fluorescein angiogram: A fluorescent dye is injected into blood stream. Pictures are taken as the dye passes through the blood vessels in your eye. If blood vessels in your eye are leaking (which may happen in severe, rapidly developing AMD) this will become visible.
  • Optical coherence tomography (OCT): Light waves are used to capture high-resolution images of tissues in your eye.
Risk factors for AMD include,
  • Age: It’s most common in those older than sixty, but it can occur earlier.
  • Smoking: It doubles the risk of AMD.
  • Race: The condition is more common among Caucasians than African-Americans or Hispanics.
  • Family history and genetics: The chances of getting AMD increase if there’s a family history of the condition.
You can decrease the changes of developing AMD, or at least slow its development, by avoiding smoking, exercising regularly, maintaining normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels and eating a healthy diet including green, leafy vegetables and fish. There is no known treatment for early stage AMD. Studies have found that daily intake of certain high-dose vitamins and minerals can slow progression of the disease in those with intermediate AMD, and those who have late AMD in one eye, but it won’t prevent the condition’s development. Your vision is critical to your quality of life, your ability to work and safely get from one place to another. Don’t take it for granted. Work with us to protect your vision. Contact the Lehigh Valley Center for Sight at 610-437-4988 or fill out our contact form. We can talk about AMD or any other condition that concerns you so we can keep your sight healthy for as long as possible. Houman Ahdieh, MD Lehigh Valley Center for Sight https://www.lvcenter4sight.com eyedoc@lvcenter4sight.com

https://www.lvcenter4sight.com/macular-degeneration/

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