Macular degneration deals with age related changes in the eye. Watch this video to learn more from Dr. Manvi Maker about macular degeneration.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is an eye disease that comes with aging. The center of your eye - the macular - slowly deteriorates, which blurs vision and causes blind spots. There are treatments for macular degeneration - but it's also possible to help prevent it with good sunglasses.
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Macular degeneration is an age-related vision problem and the leading cause of blindness in adults over age 60.
Today, findings show that macular degeneration affects about 12 million people in the United States. This is about one in four older adults. Worldwide, macular degeneration affects about 50 million adults.
Macular degeneration is the result of the breakdown or deterioration of the macula, the central part of the retina. In the eye, the macula works to control central vision. In fact, without the macula, you could not read a book, drive a car, recognize colors or see the intricate details on paintings.
With aging, the chances of macular degeneration increase. Also, people who smoke have a higher chance of getting macular degeneration as those who do not smoke. Many feel that long-term exposure to sunlight contributes to this condition. Heredity and nutrition are also thought to play a role.
Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may be treated with laser surgery, photodynamic therapy, and injections into the eye, although there is no cure for wet AMD. Dry macular degeneration has no effective treatment.
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HealthyWomen answeredSee All 5 AnswersAge-related macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition and the leading cause of vision loss and legal blindness among people age 60 and older. It causes damage to the macula, a small area near the center of the retina and the part of the eye needed for sharp, central vision, which lets us see objects that are straight ahead. Peripheral vision may still allow some sight “out of the corner of your eye,” but this vision is often not sharp enough for many normal activities. The National Institutes of Health defines two types of age-related macular degeneration:
- Wet age-related macular degeneration, caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the region of the macula.
- Dry age-related macular degeneration, more common and marked by deterioration and/or scarring of the macula.
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HealthyWomen answeredSee All 2 AnswersAge-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness for people over 60 years old in the United States. More than 15 million Americans are affected by some form of macular degeneration, a progressive disease which can lead to severe vision loss in the most advanced form, end-stage age related macular degeneration. It does not cause complete blindness but destroys central vision, the straight-ahead, detailed vision needed for everyday activities such as self-care, recognizing faces, preparing food, driving and reading, to name a few.
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RealAge answeredThe macula is a small part of the eye, in the center of the retina. It helps the retina sense light and provide sharp, central vision. If the macula becomes damaged, central vision may become blurry.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can affect one or both eyes. It can cause gradual damage to the macula, and lead to slow vision changes. Or it can progress more quickly, making vision changes more noticeable. Blurry vision due to AMD can get in the way of daily life and activities, but it does not usually lead to complete vision loss. See your eye doctor regularly to detect AMD early. -
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Treating age-related macular degeneration may be helpful for people who are legally blind, but it depends on their particular circumstances. Often, a person who is considered legally blind is still able to perform tasks like read large-print books and safely move about.
Your physician can help determine if macular degeneration treatment is appropriate for your situation. The decision typically rests on how much useful central vision you still have, what your needs and goals are, how your eyes have responded to treatment in the past, and whether there are potential risks involved with treatment.
Keep in mind that macular degeneration only affects your central vision. Whereas eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts affect peripheral vision. While treating those conditions may prove beneficial, they won’t repair central-vision damage caused by macular degeneration. -
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Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredTo the person who fears age-related macular degeneration (AMD) but does not yet have it, I would recommend eating three green vegetables a day. If you can't, take a lutein (40 micrograms (mcg)) and zeaxanthin (400 mcg) supplement every day. I also take a twice-a-day multivitamin with vitamin C (500 milligrams (mg)) and vitamin E (400 to 800 international units (IU)) a day and with a low level of zinc (12 mg) and beta carotene (about 3 mg).
One study showed those who had active AMD had a more than 25 percent reduction in the risk of vision loss if they took 500 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU of vitamin E, 15 mg of beta carotene, 80 mg of zinc, and 2 mg of copper a day. Fifty percent also took an RDA multivitamin daily. If I had AMD or a patient who had AMD at any stage, I would be afraid of the zinc, copper, and beta carotene in these larger doses taken for a long period of time. -
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Dr. George A. Williams, MD , Ophthalmology, answered on behalf of American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmartSee All 3 AnswersThe term exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) refers to the form of AMD in which abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and exude or leak blood or fluid, which damages the cells that sense light. This is also called wet AMD and accounts for 90% of the severe visual loss attributable to AMD. Non-exudative or dry AMD accounts for most of the cases of AMD but only 10% of the severe visual loss. In dry AMD, the cells that sense the light slowly die off. Dry AMD always precedes wet AMD, but most people with dry AMD do not develop wet AMD. -
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See All 7 AnswersFor people over 50, age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss. About 90% of macular degeneration patients have the dry form, which is caused by deposits on the macula, an area of the retina. The wet form is caused by irregular blood vessel growth. Both of these types can cause significant vision loss, including blindness.
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Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 3 AnswersEating a healthy diet is important for eye health. In fact, a recent study showed that people over age 50 who ate at least three servings of fruit a day were less likely to develop macular degeneration than those who ate only one-and-a-half daily servings.
I recommend taking 500 milligrams daily of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, the ultimate form of Omega-3 fatty acids in humans), to help prevent macular degeneration. Why?If you're deficient in a substance called it can delay the conductor system that converts light energy to neural energy in the retina-a process that's faster than a computer chip. There's also some evidence to suggest that Omega 3s can help improve dry eyes.
Also, large study sponsored by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health found that people who with macular degeneration had a more than 25-percent reduction in the risk of vision loss if they took the below vitamins daily (in divided doses):
- 500 milligrams of vitamin C
- 400 IU of vitamin E
- 15 milligrams of beta-carotene
- 80 milligrams of zinc
- 2 milligrams of copper
Lutein is also an important nutrient for eye health.