How does dry macular degeneration affect central vision?
Dry macular degeneration is a common eye disorder among people over 65. It causes blurred or reduced central vision, due to thinning of the macula (MAK-u-luh). The macula is the part of the retina responsible for clear vision in your direct line of sight.
What to do for dry macular degeneration in both eyes?
For selected people with advanced dry macular degeneration in both eyes, one option to improve vision may be surgery to implant a telescopic lens in one eye. The telescopic lens, which looks like a tiny plastic tube, is equipped with lenses that magnify your field of vision.
How does an eye doctor check for macular degeneration?
Examination of the back of your eye. Your eye doctor will put drops in your eyes to dilate them and use a special instrument to examine the back of your eye. He or she will look for a mottled appearance that’s caused by drusen — yellow deposits that form under the retina. People with macular degeneration often have many drusen.
How to slow down the progression of macular degeneration?
The eye doctor typically suggests quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, getting exercise, and getting regular eye exams. Additionally, research has shown that certain supplements can slow down the progression of AMD. If AMD progresses into the advanced “wet” form, the patient could lose much of their central vision.
Can a person with dry macular degeneration keep their vision?
Their central vision might be bad, but they’re still able to do many normal daily activities. The dry form of age-related macular degeneration tends to get worse slowly, so you can keep most of your vision. The wet form of macular degeneration is a leading cause of permanent vision loss. If it’s in both eyes, it can hurt your quality of life.
How are doctors treating wet form of macular degeneration?
For people with the wet form of macular degeneration, doctors can use therapies to either remove or control the blood vessels growing beneath the eye. One such therapy uses anti-VEGF drugs. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, doctors use a very small needle to deliver the drug into the tissues within the eye.
What are the symptoms of age related macular degeneration?
Symptoms of macular degeneration may include: Worse or less clear vision. Your vision might be blurry, and it may be hard to read fine print or drive. If you have any of these symptoms, go to an eye doctor as soon as possible. Age-related macular degeneration is more common in older people.
Examination of the back of your eye. Your eye doctor will put drops in your eyes to dilate them and use a special instrument to examine the back of your eye. He or she will look for a mottled appearance that’s caused by drusen — yellow deposits that form under the retina. People with macular degeneration often have many drusen.