Macular degeneration is a common condition of the eyes that usually affects older people. In fact, about 15 in 100 people over the age of 50 have some early signs of macular degeneration. Even though only one or two of these experience significant symptoms, it is still the most common cause of blindness in Australia.
If you are getting older, it’s important to know a little about the condition and what you can do to prevent the symptoms from getting worse if you are affected.
Why does Macular Degeneration occur?
Macular degeneration is a condition that involves damage to the macula in the centre of the retina at the back of the eye, which usually helps you to see the world around you.
Damage can occur when the small blood vessels underneath the retina become restricted, causing the cells in the area to die. The central field of vision, which depends on the function of the macula, may then begin to deteriorate.
Here is a helpful video to help you understand a bit more about macular degeneration:
The exact cause of macular degeneration is not known, although there are several risk factors for the condition. You are more likely to be affected by macular degeneration if you:
- Are older than 50 years
- Have a poor diet
- Smoke
- Have a family history of macular degeneration
Types of Macular Degeneration
There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet.
Dry macular degeneration is the most common type, making up approximately 90% of cases. The retina cells slowly die over many years, leading to atrophy of the retina and gradual deterioration of eyesight. Although it is the most common type, only 1 in 3 cases of late-stage macular degeneration when the vision is affected are linked to dry macular degeneration.
Wet macular degeneration only affects 1 in 10 people with the disease, but is the more severe type that can cause more rapid changes to vision. It occurs when new, fragile blood vessels form under the retina and leak blood and fluid into the area. This can lead to scarring of the delicate tissue and severe loss of central vision, which may be permanent if it is not treated in time.
Signs and Symptoms
Macular degeneration causes changes to the vision, particularly in the center of the visual field.
In the early stages of the disease, you might notice a blurry or fuzzy spot near the centre of their vision. Eyesight may also be distorted, and straight lines may appear to look wavy. Some people with symptoms in both eyes and have difficulty doing visual activities such as reading. As the disease progresses, affected you may have difficulty seeing fine detail and recognizing faces.
In the later stages of the disease, there is some loss of vision due to the cells in the retina dying or becoming damaged. Over time, the central field of vision can eventually disappear altogether due to blindness, although the peripheral vision remains intact because damage to the macula only affects the centre of the visual field.
How can you know if you are affected?
The symptoms tend to develop gradually and do not cause any pain. For this reason, many people who have early symptoms may not notice or seek medical help and are not diagnosed with the condition. However, it is important that the condition is detected as soon as possible because without management severe vision impairment can occur.
If you do notice changes in your vision, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor so that you can find out what is happening and take action if needed.
A simple test that is often used is the Amsler grid test, which is a piece of paper with a grid and a black dot in the center printed on it. If you have macular degeneration, the straight lines surrounding the dot may appear wavy when you stare straight at the dot.
If you are likely to be affected by macular degeneration, your doctor will probably refer you to an eye specialist. They can examine your retina more closely to look for signs of damage and can use injected dye to view the how the blood flows in the area.
Treatment
There is currently no treatment available to treat dry macular degeneration, although glasses can often help you to see more clearly. There are several things that you can do to help prevent the symptoms from worsening and cope with the condition, such as:
- Eat a healthy diet rich in antioxidants from fresh fruits and vegetable
- Keep active and pursuing activities that you enjoy doing
- Avoid smoking
- Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes when exposed to sunlight
- Join a support group
Wet macular degeneration can be prevented from worsening with a treatment known as photocoagulation. This involves an injection into the eye that stops the weaker blood vessels that cause damage to the retina from forming.
Some people with dry macular degeneration may also develop the more aggressive wet form of the disease later on. For this reason, it is important to report any sudden changes to your vision to your eye specialist as soon as you notice them, even if you have previously been diagnosed with dry macular degeneration.
Want to know more?
If you’d like to know more about macular degeneration and how to recognize the signs or what to do if you think you may be affected, we’ll be happy to help you at Inverell Pharmacy. Simply stop by for a chat with one of our pharmacists for more information, or give us a call on 02 6722 3146.
Inverell Pharmacy – your locally owned and operated pharmacy with 5 pharmacists to Assist and Advise you.