BackWhat is Macular Degeneration?
Article submitted by Melissa Pipkin with Southwestern Eye Center. She may be reached at 480-892-8400.
Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of visual loss in people over age 55 in the US. ARMD is a progressive loss of function of the macula, or central retina, the nerve tissue in the back of the eye that contains the rods and cones. The macula makes tasks like reading and driving possible. Loss of function in the macula is painless, variable in severity and speed and may affect one or both eyes. Painless blurred, smudged or distorted vision, while common symptoms for many eye diseases, are the most common symptoms of ARMD.
Among the controllable risk factors for developing macular degeneration are smoking, elevated cholesterol and elevated blood pressure. Smoking may cause a 350% increased chance of loss of vision from ARMD. 90% of patients have "dry" ARMD involving abnormal pigment or loss of pigment in the macula. "Wet" macular degeneration, which accounts for 10% of ARMD but 90% of the visual loss from ARMD is more rapid in onset and involves the formation of new blood vessels in the pigmented layer of the macula.
Dry ARMD responds to certain high dose vitamins. A risk reduction of about 20% over 10 years is possible, but not every patient is a candidate. Wet macular degeneration is treated with painless laser treatment or injection of medication in the eye under local anesthetic. Several new medications have been used including steroids, Macugen and Avastin. Laser treatments have included a "hot" laser to cauterize the new vessels as well as "cold" laser treatment to blanch the vessels. Rare patients may benefit from operating room surgery. Because of the wide variety of treatments, an exam by a retinal specialist is recommended in order to determine the best course of action for any particular patient.
Southwestern Eye Center has three retinal specialists to care for patients with diseases of the retina, including macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Please call Southwestern Eye Center with any questions regarding evaluations for blurred vision.