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Macular Degeneration
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Retina Health Center and Macular Degeneration
As our population ages, macular degeneration becomes more common. Fortunately, there is research underway to determine more effective ways to prevent the disease and to develop improved treatment options. The physicians at the Retina Health Center follow new developments closely. In fact, the Retina Health Center has been chosen to participate in several national studies on macular degeneration. Both Dr. Alexander M. Eaton and Dr. Hussein Wafapoor have been selected along with researchers at other major academic centers to be investigators in ongoing FDA trials of new treatments for both dry and wet
macular degeneration.
Where is the macula and what is its
role in
your vision?
The eye works like a camera. Light entering the eye is focused by the cornea and the crystalline lens to form an image on the retina. The retina sends the image through the optic nerve to the brain. The largest part of the retina is the peripheral retina, which provides your side vision. The macula is the retina’s central portion, which provides close-up vision needed for detailed activities such as reading fine print or threading a needle. Although tiny, the macula is a hundred times more sensitive to detail than the peripheral retina. When the central portion of the retina, the macula, is damaged, macular degeneration occurs.
What are the symptoms?
Most people who develop macular degeneration begin to notice problems with their eyesight after age 50. Typically, only one eye is affected initially, so you may not be immediately aware of the changes. Common symptoms include blurry text while reading, difficulty with distance vision, and objects appearing different sizes or colors in each eye. Patients also report dark spots in their vision, and objects such as Venetian blinds, trees or telephone poles can appear to be bent or crooked.
Three forms of Macular degeneration:
- Dry Macular Degeneration
- Wet Macular Degeneration
- Pigment Epithelial Detachment
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1. Dry macular degeneration accounts for nearly 85 percent of all forms of macular degeneration and is caused by the loss of cells in the retina and/or buildup of deposits known as drusen. In some people, these spots on the retina lead to vision loss. Others may have dry macular degeneration for many years without any symptoms. Therefore, early detection and careful monitoring are crucial to maintaining good vision.
2. Wet macular degeneration is less common than the dry form, representing approximately 10 percent of all forms of macular degeneration. In wet macular degeneration, the abnormal blood vessels grow under or into the retina. Unlike normal blood vessels, the new vessels are more likely to leak blood or fluid, which can result in the retina becoming separated from its supporting tissues or swollen. This disruption of the normal retinal structure may result in rapid vision loss. If caught early, wet macular degeneration can be treated with medications, hot or cold laser, and/or surgery that can help to restore and or preserve vision.
3. Pigment epithelial detachment is a type of macular degeneration that may develop in conjunction with dry or wet macular degeneration, or on its own. Pigment epithelial detachments occur when a blister forms underneath the retina, causing blurring and distortion of vision. Treatment with medications, and/or hot or cold laser, may be beneficial in certain cases.
Confirming the Diagnosis
When your doctor detects symptoms of wet macular degeneration, a special test called an angiogram and/or optical coherence tomography may be ordered. There are two types of angiograms, both requiring an injection of dye into your arm. The dye travels throughout the body and, as it passes through your eye, photographs are taken. These photographs allow your doctor to determine the presence and severity of the macular degeneration.
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