What can macular degeneration cause?

Answer 1

MaculardegenerationDry maculardegeneration is a chronic eye disease that causes vision loss in the center of your field of vision. Dry maculardegeneration is marked by deterioration of the macula (MAK-u-luh), which is in the center of the retina - the layer of tissue on the inside back wall of your eyeball.

Dry maculardegeneration is one of two types of age-related maculardegeneration. The other type - wet maculardegeneration - is characterized by swelling caused by leaky blood vessels in the back of the eye. Dry macular degeneration isn't associated with swelling and is the more-common form of the disease.

Dry macular degeneration doesn't cause total blindness, but it worsens your quality of life by blurring or causing a blind spot in your central vision. Clear central vision is necessary for reading, driving and recognizing faces.

Symptoms

Dry macular degeneration symptoms usually develop gradually. You may notice these vision changes:

• The need for increasingly bright light when reading or doing close work
• Increasing difficulty adapting to low light levels, such as when entering a dimly lit restaurant
• Increasing blurriness of printed words
• A decrease in the intensity or brightness of colors
• Difficulty recognizing faces
• A gradual increase in the haziness of your overall vision
• A blurred or blind spot in the center of your field of vision
• Hallucinations of geometric shapes or people, in cases of advanced macular degeneration

Dry maculardegeneration may affect one eye or both eyes. If only one eye is affected, you may not notice any or much change in your vision because your good eye compensates for the weak one.

When to see a doctor

See your eye doctor if:

• You notice changes in your central vision
• Your ability to see colors and fine detail becomes impaired

These changes may be the first indication of maculardegeneration, particularly if you are older than 50.

Answer 2

Smoking, poor diet, a light complexion, excessive sun exposure, genetics, and most recently, evidence related to the visible blue light emitted from electronic devices such as smart phones, computers, tablets and energy efficient LED light bulbs are the most common risk factors associated with macular degeneration.

Answer 3

Symptoms of Macular degenerationMacular degeneration is one of the most dangerous eye problems and diseases that cause vision loss or even blindness. Old individuals involve high risks of causing age related macular degeneration. This eye disease can affect only one eye or both eyes. While dry form macular degeneration is chronic, wet AMD progresses quite quickly. At a certain stage, both of the two forms of symptoms of macular degeneration have some symptoms.

Dry macular degeneration is usually caused by yellow or off-white deposits under the retina. This buildup of drusen reaching a certain amount will significantly increase the risk of developing age related macular degeneration. In general, AMD affects only the central vision, so that an indicating symptom of AMD is a blurry, dark or blank spot in the central vision. AMD patients may also experience some other symptoms of macular degeneration or signs, such as difficulty distinguishing colors, details including a book or faces, or seeing at a distance. Double vision is also a common symptom of age related macular degeneration. In addition, some AMD patients will perceive wavy or bent lines that are normally straight.

Answer 4

There is no one treatment or procedure that cures macular degeneration but that doesn't mean there aren't treatments, lifestyle choices or supplements that help to improve one's vision or prevent further degeneration of the macula.

1. Diet and Nutrition

One of the main processes that contributes to macular degeneration and vision loss is chronic inflammation. Exposure to environmental toxins or eating certain foods can be pro-inflammatory. Likewise there are foods that are anti-inflammatory and contribute to reducing chronic inflammation in the body and the eyes.

2. Stem Cells

Several Phase I clinical trials are now recruiting participants to study the safety of transplanting embryonic stem cells and to determine dosage.

3. Bionic Retina

Sometime in the near future, possibly as soon as 2013, Phase I clinical trials will begin that involve a simple procedure of implanting a retinal chip into patients with degenerative retinas

4. Anti-VEGF Treatment

Patients with wet macular degeneration are currently treated with intra-ocular injections of medications that help to dry up leaky blood vessels and prevent the growth of future abnormal capillaries.

5. Macular Pigment

Taking antioxidants called carotenoids, like lutein and zeaxanthin, are known to increase macular pigment density. A higher macular pigment density protects the macula from blue light and helps to prevent macular degeneration.

Answer 5

There are several different types of macular degeneration, and although the treatments are not thought of as cures, there are procedures, researched vitamins and healthy diet and lifestyle choices that can sometimes reverse this retinal disease or slow the progression of it.

Answer 6

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) appears to result from a combination of hereditary, environmental, and metabolic factors. Over time, highly reactive free-oxygen radicals damage and destroy macular cells.

Answer 7

Dry AMD occurs when the blood vessels under the macula become thin and brittle. Small yellow deposits, called drusen, form.Wet AMD occurs in about 10% of people with macular degeneration. New abnormal and very fragile blood vessels grow under the macula.

Answer 8

Age-related macular degeneration is part of the aging process. There may be a hereditary component. Having a family member with ARMD increases a person's risk for developing it.