Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that can lead to the loss of vision. It happens when part of your retina — the back part of the eye that records images and sends them to the brain for interpretation — deteriorates. The portion that deteriorates, known as the macula, focuses your central vision and dictates your ability to read, drive, recognize faces, see color, and notice fine details.
Macular degeneration can be either “wet” or “dry.” At Wolchok Eye Associates, PA, our board-certified ophthalmologists can help you manage either form and prevent vision loss. Here’s what they want you to know about the two forms.
Dry macular degeneration is by far the most common form of the condition. About 90% of cases are the dry form. In dry macular degeneration, the layers of the macula wear down and function less effectively.
Drusen, tiny piles of waste products of eye cells, form on the retina. The drusen further the deterioration and atrophy of your retina because they interfere with its oxygen supply. Dry macular degeneration often remains in a mild form. The color of your retina may change and a few drusen may appear, but the overall effect on your vision is likely minimal.
However, if the drusen grow bigger or if you develop many more, you may experience vision distortion. Reading may become a challenge, and you can develop blind spots in the center of your vision. In the most advanced cases, you may lose central vision.
Wet macular degeneration is a far more serious version of the disease, but it’s less common. Usually, you develop the dry form first, and it can progress to the wet form.
When you have wet macular degeneration, new blood vessels develop behind the retina. These new blood vessels don’t have a lot of integrity, though, and they leak fluids, blood, and fat molecules into the layers of the retina and macula. The leakage causes scar tissue to form and disrupts the functioning of your retinal cells.
Distortions in your vision result. Straight lines can look wavy, you may have blind spots and a loss of central vision. Scarring makes these vision changes permanent.
Macular degeneration typically begins to develop in people 50 years or older, but why some individuals develop it as they age isn’t fully understood. It may have to do with a hereditary risk factor, the presence of cardiovascular disease or hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, or excessive exposure to sunlight.
You may be able to reduce your risk of developing macular degeneration by eating a proper diet, exercising, and managing your overall health. Regular eye exams can help you find macular degeneration early, when it can be slowed and your vision protected.
While macular degeneration can’t be cured, the ophthalmologists at Wolchok Eye Associates, PA may help slow down its progression. A therapeutic dose of specific vitamins, eyewear that filters UV rays, and treatments to stop bleeding from abnormal blood vessels are available.
Do you have concerns about macular degeneration? Call our office in Jacksonville, FL, or schedule an appointment through our online portal today.
