The Effects, Causes, and Treatment of Macular Degeneration
Are you having problems with your central vision? Is it fuzzy or distorted? If you look at a grid of straight lines, do they appear wavy? If you are having these problems with your vision, you may have an eye condition known as macular degeneration. The skilled personnel working at Insight Eyecare Jenks in Jenks, OK, understand and treat this eye disease. We can help you understand it too and help you deal with its effects.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
The retina on the back wall of your eye is responsible for translating the light entering your eye into neural signals that your brain can decipher. The macula is part of the retina that controls your central vision. Macular degeneration is a disease that affects the macula, causing loss of your central vision.
Macular degeneration is usually age-related or passed down through family lines. Smoking, eating a diet high in saturated fats, and being overweight are also known risk factors for macular degeneration.
Two Types of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is broken down into two types, dry and wet.
Dry AMD: The more common of the two types, dry AMD, occurs either from the thinning of macular tissues, the depositing of lipids in the macula, or the combination of both. The lipid deposits, known as drusen, are small clumps of fatty protein. These yellowish-deposits in or around your macula are thought to be from deteriorating tissue and will cause you to lose your central vision slowly.
Presently, there are no curative treatments for dry AMD. Certain vitamins that are supportive of eye health can be taken to slow its progression. Also, eating a healthy diet that includes green leafy vegetables, exercising, wearing UV protective sunglasses, and having regular AMD monitoring eye exams will all help to slow down the disease’s progression.
Wet AMD: Wet AMD is a more severe form of macular degeneration. Wet AMD is caused by new blood vessels being grown under the retina and macula that leak blood and fluids. This leakage causes permanent damage to light-sensitive cells and creates blind spots in your central vision.
Symptoms of wet macular degeneration often happen suddenly and worsen quickly.
Treatments for wet AMD are aimed at stopping the abnormal growth of blood vessels below your retina. Several medications are available for this purpose. Treatment may involve a visit to a retinal surgeon to have this medication injected.
Eye Exams Are Important in Monitoring Macular Degeneration
If you are over the age of fifty, it is important that your eye doctor performs regular eye exams to check for this condition. If you know you have AMD, be sure to keep up with your eye doctor visits. If have any concerns about macular degeneration or any other eye-related health issues in Jenks, OK, give us a call at Insight Eyecare Jenks to set up an appointment today! Our number is 918-299-2020.
