Issue 30.16
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a deterioration or breakdown of the eye’s macula. The macula is a small area in the retina — the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. The macula is the part of the retina that is responsible for your central vision, allowing you to see fine details clearly.
The macula makes up only a small part of the retina, yet it is much more sensitive to detail than the rest of the retina (called the peripheral retina). The macula is what allows you to thread a needle, read small print, and read street signs. The peripheral retina gives you side (or peripheral) vision. If someone is standing off to one side of your vision, your peripheral retina helps you know that person is there by allowing you to see their general shape.
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.
With macular degeneration, you may have symptoms such as blurriness, dark areas or distortion in your central vision, and perhaps permanent loss of your central vision. It usually does not affect your side, or peripheral vision. For example, with advanced macular degeneration, you could see the outline of a clock, yet may not be able to see the hands of the clock to tell what time it is.
Causes of macular degeneration include the formation of deposits called drusen under the retina, and in some cases, the growth of abnormal blood vessels under the retina. With or without treatment, macular degeneration alone almost never causes total blindness. People with more advanced cases of macular degeneration continue to have useful vision using their side, or peripheral vision. In many cases, macular degeneration’s impact on your vision can be minimal.
When macular degeneration does lead to loss of vision, it usually begins in just one eye, though it may affect the other eye later. In its earliest stages, many people may not be aware they have macular degeneration until they notice slight changes in their vision or until it is detected during an eye exam. People who are at risk for macular degeneration should have regular eye exams to test for macular degeneration and, if diagnosed, begin treatment if appropriate.
KNOW THE SIGNS
*Dry macular degeneration signs and symptoms
*Blurry distance and/or reading vision
*Need for increasingly bright light to see up close
*Colors appear less vivid or bright
*Hazy vision
*Difficulty seeing when going from bright light to low light (such as entering a dimly lit room from the bright outdoors)
*Trouble or inability to recognize people’s faces
*Blank or blurry spot in your central vision
Dry macular degeneration can affect one or both eyes. You may not notice vision changes if only one eye is affected, as your unaffected eye will compensate for vision loss in the other eye.
Wet macular degeneration signs and symptoms
Distorted vision — straight lines will appear bent, crooked or irregular
Dark gray spots or blank spots in your vision
Loss of central vision
Size of objects may appear different for each eye
Colors lose their brightness; colors do not look the same for each eye
Wet macular degeneration symptoms usually appear and get worse fairly quickly.
As always if you are experiencing these symptoms or any change in your vision you should contact your eye doctor. It’s important to get regular examinations to ensure continued health of your eyes. Any loss of your vision is a serious concern and Richens Eye Center is available and accepting new patients ready to provide eye care excellence. To book your appointment call 435-986-2020. This article brought to you by the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® program (www.geteyesmart.org) in coordination with Richens Eye Center.