Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of vision deterioration in the elderly.

The macular is the tissue in the center of the retina, the area of the eye that controls central vision. As people age the macular becomes damaged -either by the breakdown of the macular itself (dry macular degeneration) or with the growth of new surplus blood vessels at the back of the eye (wet macular degeneration).

When the retina becomes damaged central vision is affected. Central vision allows you to read, drive and see objects in front of you.

Macular degeneration is a serious form of eye disease because loss of central vision impairs many areas of your life and left untreated can cause blindness.

What is macular degeneration?

There are two forms of macular degeneration - dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration. 

Dry macular degeneration - This is the most common form of macular degeneration. Caused by the breakdown of cells inside the macular, dry macular degeneration is identified by small yellow spots (drusen)  appearing in the centre of the retina. Advanced dry macular degeneration causes the nerves and sensory retainers to waste away and when AMD (age-related-macular degeneration) reaches this stage, vision loss is likely.

Wet macular degeneration - this type of macular degeneration is similar to diabetic retinopathy as new blood vessels develop in the tissue of the macular on the retina and leak blood into the eye.

Treatment for macular degeneration

There is no cure for macular degeneration. AMD is often treated with regular drug injections into the eyeball to halt the progression of the disease. Developments in opthalmology medicine may offer alternative treatment:

Laser eye surgery may relieve some of the symptoms and prevent vision loss by strengthening the macular tissue and breaking down the new blood vessels.

A radiation-based treatment, epimacular brachytherapy, is also an option. Eye surgeons direct precise beams of radiation into the abnormality in the retina. This radiation breaks up the additional blood vessels that have grown at the back of the eye. 

Recent research has shown that a diet high in antioxidants can help prevent the degeneration of eye tissue in elderly people and zinc in particular has proven beneficial to patients with age-related eye conditions.