Macular Degeneration

Overview
Causes
Symptoms
Treatments (0 treatments reviewed)

Macular Degeneration Overview:

Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of central vision blindness in the Western world, with 15 million in the US. It is usually age related and affects mostly those over the age of 50 and predominately women.

Only central vision, needed for driving and reading, is affected and not peripheral vision.

Macular Degeneration Causes:

The signs of AMD (age realted macular degeneration) are tiny yellow or white accumulations of extracellular material that build up in the macula, which is the center of the retina. These deposits are called drusen and most people over the age of 40 have some, however, the presence of more and larger drusen indicate early signs of AMD. There are two forms of AMD, dry and wet. At this time, no treatment is available for the dry form of MD. The wet form of MD is caused by an abnormal growth of blood vessels beneath the macula, which, if untreated, can cause irreparable damage to the macula from bleeding, leaking and scarring. 

Macular Degeneration Symptoms:

Rapidly deteriorating vision. Distorted or blurred vision. Shadows, or areas of no vision. Difficulty in differentiating between shades of dark colors and different shades of light colors. Slow vision adjustment after exposure to bright sunlight. 

Macular Degeneration Treatments

We have compiled a list to help you compare leading Macular Degeneration treatments and cures before you buy.