Age-related macular degeneration is a condition of the retina that gradually affects central vision; this disease is also known as AMD or ARMD. According to the All About Vision website, ARMD is the leading cause of vision loss in adults that are 65 years of age or older. There are two types of age-related macular degeneration called dry and wet ARMD but there are also some changes that are present before the development of either type. There is currently no cure for this disease but there are treatments available for the advanced stage of the disease.
Early Macular Changes
There are early changes in the central portion of the retina that can be seen by an eye doctor on examination as described on The Eye Digest website. These are yellow clumps that can be seen in the macula or the central part of the retina; these are called soft drusen. Often there are pigment changes in the macula associated with the soft drusen. These changes do not typically affect vision but their presence can put the doctor and the patient on alert for more serious changes.
Dry Macular Degeneration
According to the Merck Manual, about 90 percent of people who have ARMD have the dry or atrophic form. In this type, cells in the retina thin out as a result, there are areas in the retina with no cells at all; this leads to a finding on examination by the eye doctor called geographic atrophy. Dry ARMD causes gradual vision loss and can affect both eyes at the same time. In an article published in 2001, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group reported that antioxidant supplements may slow down progression of the disease but not get back any vision that has already been lost. Patients with dry ARMD should also monitor vision to determine if wet ARMD has developed.
Wet Macular Degeneration
In the most advanced form of ARMD, new blood vessels develop beneath the retina. These blood vessels are weaker than normal blood vessels and bleed and leak fluid under the retina. This causes damage to the cells of the retina which causes permanent vision loss. Wet ARMD can be treated by laser surgery, photodynamic therapy or medications injected into the eye. The injected medications may improve vision in some patients according to the Merck Manual; however, many patients with wet ARMD need to adapt their lives to adjust to vision loss.
References
- Merck Manual: Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- All About Vision: Macular Degeneration
- The Eye Digest: Macular Degeneration
- "Archives of Ophthalmology"; A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial of High-Dose Supplementation With Vitamins C and E, Beta Carotene, and Zinc for Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Vision Loss; Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group; 2001.
