Information about macular degeneration

Dry macular degeneration is the most common form of the disorder, affecting about 85 percent of all who suffer from the disease. It occurs when the light-sensing cells in the macula, a part of the retina, begin to break down. Though it can lead to central blindness, it is not the most serious form of the disorder.

Wet macular degeneration is the more severe form of the disease, affecting about two-thirds of patients with advanced macular dystrophy. It often starts as the dry form, then new blood vessels (neovascularization) underlying the retina start to swell and leak.

The symptoms of macular degeneration usually start with blurry central vision - difficulty seeing and recognizing faces, as well as needing more light to read. It may affect only one eye, or both. One of the first signs of wet macular degeneration is straight lines appearing wavy. The loss of central vision will then appear and progress rapidly.

Other symptoms include:

- yellow spots, called drusen, seen by the doctor during an eye exam
- appearance of shapes that aren't really there
- lost brilliance and intensity of colors
- crooked, misshapen, or altered size of geometric objects
- general hazy vision

Your eye doctor will be able to diagnose the condition with a dilated eye exam, a visual acuity test (eye chart), and/or tonometry (measuring the pressure inside the eye).

The cause of blindness in patients with wet macular degeneration may be associated with certain hormones that promote blood vessel growth (VEGF-A for instance). The leaking fluid from the new vessels may interrupt retinal function or damage the macula by displacing it.

What causes dry macular degeneration is currently not known. Individuals over the age of 60 are more likely to have the disorder.

Other risk factors for macular degeneration are:
- Family history of the disorder
- Being white or female
- Being obese
- Smoking cigarettes
- Having high blood pressure or cholesterol
- Poor diet