Macular Degeneration

The macula is a part of your retina that is responsible for your central vision. Macular degeneration is a disease that compromises your vision due to pigmentary changes that happen in the macula, primarily due to age. Macular degeneration can run in families and can worsen due to environmental changes (being around cigarette smoke). The acronyms for macular degeneration most commonly used are ARMD (Age Related Macular Degeneration), SMD (Senile Macular Degeneration), or simply AMD. This
disease usually begins to effect patients after the age of 55. It can cause loss of central vision in varying degrees. Patients will often complain of waviness or distortion in their vision when looking at straight lines such as reading a line in a book or lines on the road.

There are 2 types of macular degeneration – dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration is where the above
mentioned pigmentary changes and yellow deposits for under the retina in the macula. Special high definition photographs may be taken at your dilated examinations to document the pigment changes and these deposits. Wet macular degeneration is when leakage of fluid or blood occur in the macula. A fluorescein angiogram may be performed to evaluate the amount and severity of blood or fluid leakage. This is where a dye is injected into a patient’s arm that travels to the eye. This test highlights the blood
vessels around the macula. A rapid sequence of photographs are then taken to record and document the leakage. An OCT may be performed which shows the retina in cross section and is very good at detecting fluid build up do to macular degeneration.

Although there is no definitive cure for either form of these degenerations, studies have shown that a special formulation of vitamins (AREDS2) have been proven to be protective of the retina and can help slow down the progression to the “wet” form of the disease. There are also several injectable medication treatments available for patients who qualify, as well as laser treatments for patients with wet macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration can be hereditary but often the family history is limited due to a lack of information about a loved one’s medical history. Having a yearly dilated examination over the age of 45 is important as ophthalmologists can pick up early changes in the macula a patient may not even beaware of.