Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a primarily retinal condition and a common eye disorder. This progressive eye disorder ultimately results in central vision loss, it doesn’t mean that you lose all of your vision but it affects what you see in front of you when you’re looking straight ahead. Two common types of macular degeneration are wet and dry macular degeneration. This disorder can be treated in many ways but there isn’t not a cure for this condition. 

According to a research report, around 15 million people in the country are experiencing this disease. This is the major cause of vision loss all around the world as well. 

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

A small area present in the center of the retina at the back of your eye, called the macular, deteriorated. This condition is known as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). When you look straight ahead, your peripheral view is what you see on your side. In general, macular degeneration doesn’t cause complete blindness. Because it doesn’t have an impact on your peripheral vision. However, central vision loss occurs due to this condition. 

Does Macular Degeneration Affect Both Eyes?

The condition macular degeneration may develop in both eyes but in most cases, it happens to one eye with different levels of severity of symptoms. 

Who Might Get Developed Macular Degeneration?

The term age-related macular degeneration indicates that this condition is more likely to occur when you get older. However, many cases are reported where younger people have developed symptoms of this condition due to different factors. Although age factor is the major cause of macular degeneration in older people some other risk factors include:

• Smoking.
• Being white.
• Having a diet rich in saturated fats and oils.
• Having a family history of macular degeneration or any other eye disorder.
• Having high blood pressure.
• Being obese.

How common is Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration is a common condition around the world. A medical survey found that over 300 million people around the world are experiencing this conditional date and this number will be doubled by 2030. In most cases, adults develop this condition. In the country macular degeneration is the major cause of vision loss in older people approximately older than 60 years. 

Types of Macular Degeneration

Two of the most prominent and most studied types of macular degeneration are:

• Dry macular degeneration.
• Wet macular degeneration. 

Dry (Atrophic) Macular Degeneration

Atrophic type affects more than 80% of people having macular degeneration. It occurs when drusen, the small yellow deposits, develop under your macula. These developed deposits make your macula thin and dry. In this condition, vision loss occurs gradually and in most cases people do not lose their central vision. However, in rare cases, the dry form of macular degeneration can convert into a wet form.

Wet (Exudative) Macular Degeneration

Exudative type of macular degeneration affects the remaining 15 to 20% of affected people. It happens when abnormal blood vessels and capillaries start to develop under your retina or macula. These blood vessel;s tend to leak blood and fluid in the surrounding areas. The term exudative refers to how the fluid and blood ooze.

This fluid leakage buildup a bulge forms in your macula. The dark spots in your center of vision appear. This is a rare form of condition but more severe than dry form. It quickly leads to total central vision loss.

Stages of Macular Degeneration

Dry macular degeneration has three stages but wet macular degeneration is itself an advanced stage of macular degeneration. In the dry form, the ultimate symptom like vision loss usually is not evident until the last stage. However, an eye specialist can predict the symptoms when performing a thorough examination of your eye. So the three stages of dry form are:

Early Atrophic Stage: The shape and structure of the macula changes at this stage but vision is not affected at all.

Intermediate Atrophic Stage: At this stage, your vision starts to get wavy or blurred.

Late Atrophic Stage: A Complete loss of central vision occurs.

Symptoms of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

As macular degeneration is a progressive disorder, it gets worse over time. 

The early warning signs of the condition include vision problems and vision changes. It also can affect both eyes at the same time. Trouble in seeing dim light is also an early sign of macular degeneration. 

In addition, no matter how far away or close you look, your vision may seem less clear than it used to be. You may not see as many colors as you can before. These are the signs of a slow loss of central vision. However, these early signs of vision changes may differ for each person, experiencing the symptoms of the condition. 

Later Symptoms

As the condition progresses you may start to experience other symptoms, depending upon the type of AMD you have.

Symptoms of Dry Macular Degeneration include:

• Retinal damage.
• Continuous reduction in central vision.
• Trouble recognizing faces.
• Difficulty adapting to dim flights.
• A distortion of straight lines in your vision field.
• Feeling the need for brighter lights.
• Blurriness.

This form of ADM generally progresses more quickly than the dry ADM. Symptoms of wet macular degeneration mostly resemble those of dry macular degeneration, like reduced central vision and visual distortion, but some symptoms can still help differentiate wet macular degeneration from dry form. Therese are:

• Hazy vision.
• Blurry spots in your vision field.
• Leaking fluid or bleeding from the dark spot in the center of your vision.
• Worsening of symptoms in a short time.

Treatments for Macular Degeneration

Although there is currently no cure for macular degeneration, medical health science has presented some options to help slow the progression of the condition. These options include:

Treatment for Wet Macular Degeneration

Working with a low-vision rehabilitation specialist may help you to slow the progression. The eye specialist may suggest the best techniques to cope with vision loss. You can adopt the following option for treating the condition:

Medications

A medication is generally injected into your eyes to stop the growth of new blood vessels or capillaries under your macula and retina. In the field of medicine, these medications are named anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs. These drugs contain some chemicals such as Eylea and Lucentis that can help to stop the growth of blood vessels. This is a time-consuming procedure and it may take several weeks before you notice a difference after treatment. 

In addition, the FDA recently approved two more medications to treat the condition, including Syfovre and Izervey.

Photodynamic Therapy

This is the second treatment option. In this method, the eye surgeon injects medication into your arm vein and uses a laser to close the leaking blood vessels. This type of treatment is needed multiple times. This is used much less commonly but it can improve your vision to a great extent. 

Photo-coagulation

This method of treatment involves the use of high-energy laser beams to destroy abnormal blood vessels under your macula. This technique not only helps to stop bleeding but also stops further damage to the macula. However, the risk is associated with the laws that can cause scarring and leave a blind spot in your eye. But, people use it rarely. Even, some cases are e[ported where the photo-coagulation was successful but abnormal blood vessels;s start to regrow after treatment. 

Treatment Option for Dry Macular Degeneration

Dry macular degeneration; so needs to work with a low-vision rehabilitation specialist. The doctor may recommend you take eye vitamins. They also may suggest surgery to help improve your vision. They implant a telescopic lens during surgery. This implantable miniature telescope works for your eye to replace the natural lens. This artificial lens magnifies your vision field. However, remember that there is a set of very strict criteria for the patients to qualify for this surgery. 

Causes and Risk Factors for Macular Degeneration 

The actuarial cause of developing macular degeneration is still not known. However, certain factors are under observation that can increase the chances of developing the disorder. These risk factors include:

• Have had cardiovascular disease before.
• Smoking.
• Having a family history of macular degeneration.
• Being over 60 years old.
• Being a non-Hispanic. 

Diagnosis of Macular Degeneration

Having an annual eye examination is necessary to indicate any eye disorder in time. If you experience any vision change go to your doctor immediately because sometimes vision appears normal even with the underlying disease. Conducting a variety of tests will help to diagnose macular degeneration. In most cases, doctors use special eye drops to dilate your eyeballs to check the back of your eye for signs of yellow deposits, abnormal blood vessel growth, or blood leakage.

Some tests for diagnosing the ADM include:

Optical Coherence Tomography or Fundus Autofluorescence: In this test, the cross-sectional images of your retina are taken to check for thinning, thickening, or swelling of the retina.

Fluorescein Angiography: In this test, a colored dye is injected into your arm vein. The dye travels to your eye and your doctor can examine the blood vessels in your eye.

Indocyanine Green Angiography: Indocyanine green dye is injected into your arm vein. This test is also used to confirm the results of fluorescein angiography. This test is considered best to diagnose the choroid layer damage that is not possible with fluorescein angiography.

Fundus Photography: This is the easiest way to detect the problem. In this test, doctors simply take pictures of the inside surface of your eye with a special camera to detect the problem. 

Prevention of Macular Degeneration

There aren’t authentic ways to prevent age-related macular degeneration. Experts say that they are striving to find some but they still succeed in finding out some ways to reduce your risk for the disease. These methods include some health-promoting lifestyle trips. The tips include:

• Take regular exercise as much as you can.
• Quit smoking if you do.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat a well-balanced and nutrient-dense diet.

Complications Related to Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is associated with several complications the most dangerous one being the inability to perform certain tasks on your own. With the disease progression, it becomes harder to read or complete certain activities of daily life, people with this condition cannot drive a car. Thus, it is suggested by the experts that if you experience any symptoms or signs of age-related macular degeneration, you must have a complete vision test periodically to ensure you’re capable of driving a car.

More complications associated:

Visual Hallucinations: Due to decreased vision, your brain activates and tries to compensate by creating false hallucinations or images. This is not a mental condition or a neurodegenerative disorder but it is a sign of severe vision loss. According to studies, people with AMD usually experience hallucinations and the condition is specified as Charles Bonnet Syndrome.

Another study has confirmed that there was 16% of CBS among the patients experiencing AMD. Thus, it is a better idea to discuss with your doctor about your hallucinations so that they may suggest ways to cope with it.

Anxiety and Depression: Research found that the maximum number of patients with AMD experience some form of anxiety and depression, which are partially attributed to loss of vision. However, it is also a reality that people with the condition or without the condition surely suffer from the same rates of depression in their lives. So, speaking with your doctor if you’re experiencing the symptoms of anxiety or depression can help to get relief to some extent. They may suggest some treatment options like counseling, medication, or support groups for people with vision difficulties. These suggestions can help improve your mental health and macular degeneration. 

Conclusion

Age-Related Macular Degeneration is one the leading causes of vision disorders in some regions of the world. This disease generally affects older people over age 60. AMD doesn’t cause total blindness but it makes your hardtop look straight and clear. It causes loss of central vision and makes it harder to complete your daily tasks on your own. 

Studies revealed that dry macular degeneration is more common than wet form. Taking medications, nutrient supplements, taking regular exercise and making some healthy lifestyle changes can help to reduce the severity of symptoms. 

In addition, wet macular degeneration is rare but it causes a complete loss of vision and leads to total blindness. Keeping regular eye checkups with a professional eye specialist can help you be alert about any eye disorder before time. Try to wear eyeglasses or magnifying glasses to reduce the symptoms. Your healthcare provider may also help you to slow the progression of the disease.