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Age-Related Macular Degeneration

© Mary M. Alward

Macular degeneration is an age-related disease that affects the central vision. It is a common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60. People rarely go blind because of the disease because it only affects the center of their vision. Macular degeneration can make it difficult to read, drive and live a normal daily life that requires use of the central vision.

The macula is in the center of the retina, which is a light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. When you use your central vision, light is focused onto your macula. At this point, millions of cells change the light into nerve signals. These signals send messages to the brain and tell it what you are seeing. This is your central vision. It is what enables you to perform activities that require fine, sharp, straight-ahead vision such as reading or driving.

Age-related macular degeneration occurs in two forms. Dry AMD affects 90% of those who have the disease. Research has not proven a cause. For some unknown reason, the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down over a period of time. As this occurs, loss of vision is experienced. Dry AMD often affects only one eye in the beginning but later, the disease may affect the other eye as well. Doctors have no way of telling when and if the other eye will be affected.

Wet AMD occurs in only 10% of all people struck with the disease. However, it does account for 90% of all severe vision loss from age-related macular degenerative disease. Wet AMD occurs when new blood vessels behind the retina grow toward the macula. New blood vessels are very fragile and often leak fluid and blood under the macula. This rapidly deteriorates the macula and leads to rapid loss of central vision.

AMD can occur in middle-aged people but the risk increases with age. People in their fifties have only about a 2% chance of contacting the disease. When that person reaches age seventy-five, chances increase to 30%. According to studies, women have a greater risk factor of getting AMD than men. Smoking also increases the risk, as does a family history of the disease. People who suffer from high cholesterol levels run a very high risk of getting wet AMD.

AMD, whether it be wet or dry, is not painful. With dry AMD, the vision is sometimes slightly blurred. A person will need more light for reading and other tasks that require the use of central vision. Recognizing people may be almost impossible until they are very close to you.

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