What Is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration is a disease caused by damage to or the breakdown of the macula, a tiny oval area in the retina, where the photoreceptors are most dense and where incoming images are focused.
The center of the macula is called the fovea and is responsible for fine detail vision – our central (or reading) vision, both for distance and close up. When the eye is directed at an object to be seen, whichever part is focused on the fovea will be the clearest, the most in-focus image seen. So, your ability to see fine centralized detail is directly dependent upon the condition of the macula and fovea.
In macular degeneration, something goes wrong with the macula (as explained in more detail below) and it slowly stops working. When this happens, vision fades in the middle (the fovea), usually leaving the peripheral, or side vision. It is uncommon for someone with macular degeneration to lose both macular (detail) and peripheral (side) vision, or to lose vision completely in both eyes.
Aged-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the most common cause of severe vision loss in patients over 65. This condition involves a breakdown of the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for detailed visual tasks such as reading and driving. When the macula does not function correctly, your central vision can be affected by blurriness, dark areas or distortion. The degree of damage to the macula can vary and the symptoms can range from mild to severe. In the vast majority of cases, ARMD does not automatically progress to blindness. Although ARMD reduces vision in the central part of the retina, it usually does not affect the eye s peripheral, or side, vision. Even patients with advanced macular disease tend to retain excellent peripheral vision.
How Common Is Macular Degeneration?
If you have been diagnosed with macular degeneration you are in very good company. In the United States alone, a new case is diagnosed every three minutes, affecting:
- One in six Americans between the ages of 55 and 64
- One in four between the ages of 64 and 74
- One in three over the age of 75
Although it almost never causes total blindness, macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50 in our country. Therefore, it is important that you work with your doctor to learn to identify the problem early in an attempt to keep the development of macular degeneration from getting worse or to slow it down.
Symptoms of Macular Degeneration
There is no pain associated with dry or wet macular degeneration. Vision loss usually occurs gradually and typically affects both eyes at different rates. Sometimes only one eye loses vision while the other eye continues to see well for years. If both eyes are affected, reading and close up work can become quite difficult. Even with a loss of central vision, however, peripheral vision may remain clear.
The condition may be hardly noticeable in its early stages. A very frequent and important symptom to be aware of is distortion. Straight lines will not look straight. A telephone pole or a doorframe may seem a little bent, crooked, or irregular, as though seen through heat waves on a highway. An area of the Amsler grid will appear distorted and the small boxes in the area will vary in shape and size. Also, you may see a dark gray spot similar to the aftereffect caused by a flashbulb. There may be other changes in vision: you may notice that the size of an object appears different for each eye or that colors don’t look the same for each eye. These changes in eyesight are important symptoms and anyone who has these symptoms should make sure to see the eye doctor promptly. Do not assume you simple need a new pair of glasses. Make your appointment right away.