The macula is the tiny central part of the retina which is responsible for fine detail vision and for color perception. Macular degeneration is a disease of this very important portion of the retina. It usually affects both eyes, but often begins in one eye.

Normal eye

Many patients in their 60's and older develop macular degeneration as part of the body's natural aging process. There are two types of age-related macular degeneration, the dry (atrophic) and the wet (exudative). Most people with macular degeneration have the dry type, which is a thinning of the tissues of the macula. Vision loss is usually gradual. Some people have the wet type of macular degeneration. It results when abnormal blood vessels form at the back of the eye. These new blood vessels leak fluid and blood, causing a rapid and severe loss of central vision.

Dry Macular Degeneration		Wet Macular Degeneration

In many cases, patients are not aware of macular degeneration in one eye, because the other eye compensates for the weaker one. The most common symptoms include; difficulty reading, seeing up close or far away, seeing distortions of straight lines, missing parts of people's faces or central vision. If you notice a dimness of vision in one or both eyes or if straight lines appear distorted, you should see an eye doctor immediately.

There is no cure for macular degeneration, but recent research suggests that certain vitamins and nutrients may slow the progress of the disease in certain patients. If there is bleeding or swelling from abnormal blood vessels, there are some new modalities of treatments. Recent advances in laser surgery and medications have improved the ability to stop the progression and visual deterioration of this disease. Some medications have even shown to improve vision in eyes with wet macular degeneration.

If you are over fifty, have your eyes examined regularly. If you have symptoms, report them to your eye doctor immediately before the disease progresses too far. If you have vision loss from macular degeneration, low vision aids and other optical devices can help you maintain a functional lifestyle.