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What
is macular degeneration?
Macular degeneration is a deterioration or breakdown of
the macula. The surgeons at Halpin - Poweleit Eye Center,
located in Cincinnati, specialize in the detection and treatment
of macular degeneration. The macula is a small area in the
retina at the back of the eye that allows you to see fine
details clearly and perform activities such as reading and
driving. When the macula does not function correctly, your
central vision can be affected by blurriness, dark areas
or distortion. Macular degeneration affects your ability
to see near and far, and can make some activities-like threading
a needle or reading-difficult or impossible. |
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Although
macular degeneration reduces vision in the central part
of the retina, it does not affect the eye's side, or peripheral,
vision. For example, you could see the outline of a clock,
but not be able to tell what time it is. The doctors at
Halpin - Poweleit Eye Center, with offices conveniently
located in the Cincinnati area, can perform tests, and determine
if you need treatment for macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration alone does not result in total blindness.
Even in more advanced cases, people continue to have some
useful vision and are often able to take care of themselves.
In many cases, macular degeneration's impact on your vision
can be minimal.
What causes macular degeneration?
Many older people develop macular degeneration as part of
the body's natural aging process. There are different kinds
of macular problems, but the most common is age-related
macular degeneration (AMD). Exactly why it develops is not
known, and no treatment has been uniformly effective. Macular
degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss
in Caucasians over 65.
The two most common types of AMD are "dry" (atrophic) and
"wet" (oxidative):
"Dry" macular degeneration (atrophic)
Most people have the "dry" form of AMD. It is caused by
aging and thinning of the tissues of the macula. Vision
loss is usually gradual.
"Wet" macular degeneration (exudative)
The "wet" form of macular degeneration accounts for about
10% of all AMD cases. It results when abnormal blood vessels
form underneath the retina at the back of the eye. These
new blood vessels leak fluid or blood and blur central vision.
Vision loss may be rapid and severe.
What are the symptoms of macular degeneration?
Macular degeneration can cause different symptoms in different
people. The condition may be hardly noticeable in its early
stages. Sometimes only one eye loses vision while the other
eye continues to see well for many years.
But when both eyes are affected, the loss of central vision
may be noticed more quickly. Following are some common ways
vision loss is detected:
- words on a page look blurred;
- a dark or empty area appears in the center of vision;
- straight lines look distorted, as in the following diagram.
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AMSLER
GRID WITH WAVY LINES
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How
is macular degeneration diagnosed?
Many people do not realize that they have a macular problem
until blurred vision becomes obvious. The physicians at
Halpin - Poweleit Eye Center can detect early stages of
AMD during a medical eye examination that includes the following:
- a simple vision test in which you look at a chart that
resembles graph paper (Amsler grid);
- viewing the macula with an ophthalmoscope;
- taking special photographs of the eye called fluorescein
angiographs to find abnormal blood vessels under the retina.
How is macular degeneration treated?
Nutritional Supplements
Although the exact causes of macular degeneration are not
fully understood, antioxidant vitamins and zinc may reduce
the impact of AMD in some people.
A large scientific study found that people at risk for redeveloping
advanced stages of AMD lowered their risk by about 25% when
treated with a high-dose combination of vitamin C, vitamin
E, beta carotene and zinc. Among those who have either no
AMD or very early AMD, the supplements did not appear to
provide an apparent benefit.
It is very important to remember that vitamin supplements
are not a cure for AMD, nor will they restore vision that
you may have already lost from the disease. However, specific
amounts of these supplements do play a key role in helping
some people at high risk for advanced AMD to maintain their
vision. You should speak with your ophthalmologist to determine
if you are at risk for developing advanced AMD, and to learn
if supplements are recommended for you.
Laser surgery and photodynamic therapy
Certain types of "wet" macular degeneration can be treated
with laser surgery, a brief outpatient procedure. Laser
surgery and another form of treatment called photodynamic
therapy used a focused beam of light to slow or stop leaking
blood, vessels that damage the macula. These procedures
may preserve more sight overall, though they are not cures
that restore vision to normal. |
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