Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macula) because of damage to the retina. Macular degeneration usually affects older adults and can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognize faces. Although there is enough peripheral vision to allow other activities. Macular degeneration occurs in 2 forms:

"dry" form of macular degeneration results from atrophy to the retinal pigment epithelial layer below the retina
"wet" form of macular degeneration results from abnormal blood vessel growth

Main Causes Of Macular Degeneration

There are number of things which can cause macular degeneration

Aging is one of the main causes of macular degeneration.
About 10% of patients 66 to 74 years of age will have findings of macular degeneration
Family history
Macular degeneration gene
Stargardt's disease (STGD, also known as Juvenile Macular Degeneration)

Other Causes Of Macular Degeneration

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Obesity
High fat intake is associated with an increased risk of macular degeneration in both women and men
Oxidative stress
Smoking increases the risk of macular degeneration by two to three times

Macular Degeneration Signs And Symptoms

Some of the signs and symptoms of macular degeneration include:

Awareness of failing vision
Pigmentary alterations
Hemorrhages in the eye
Atrophy
Blurred vision
Shadows or missing areas of vision
Distorted vision
Contrast sensitivity loss
Trouble discerning colors
Slow recovery of visual function after exposure to bright light

Macular Degeneration Treatment

Once the damage to the macula is done, it can't be reversed especially for the dry form of macular degeneration. People with the wet form of macular degeneration may benefit from a number of treatments. It is important to start treatment as early as possible.

Wet Macular Degeneration Treatments

There are number of treatments for wet macular degeneration including:

Laser photocoagulation
Laser photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Surgery
Anti-angiogenic drugs

Macular Degeneration Treatment with Laser Photocoagulation

This macular degeneration treatment doesn't reverse the damage
It uses a laser beam to seal abnormal blood vessels, preventing them from bleeding or leaking fluid
It can limit loss of sight to about half what it would have been otherwise
This macular degeneration treatment can only be done early enough in the course of the disease
If macular degeneration is too advanced, or the blood vessels are growing in front of the macula, the laser beam would destroy too much macula

Macular Degeneration Treatment with Laser photodynamic therapy (PDT)

Macular degeneration treatment with laser photodynamic has two stages:
1) Injection of a light-sensitive drug (Visudyne) into a vein of the arm (The drug travels into the vessels in the retina)
2) Non-thermal laser beam is directed on to the retina (The chemical reaction between the laser and the drug causes the blood vessel to close off)
Macular degeneration treatment with laser photodynamic does not cause direct damage to the surrounding retina
Usually repeat treatments are needed
Macular degeneration treatment with laser photodynamic therapy doesn't restore sight, but prevents further loss
It may take up to six months before the vision stabilises

Macular Degeneration Treatment with Surgery

There are 2 cases of macular degeneration treatment with surgery nowdays which may improve the condition:

Submacular surgery - an incision in the retina and removing of the abnormal blood vessels underneath the retina
Retinal translocation - the retina is surgically lifted and rotated away from the abnormal blood vessels and the vessels lasered without harming the centre of the macula

Macular Degeneration Treatment With Anti-angiogenic Drugs

Anti-angiogeni drugs prevent the growth of new blood vessels across the macula in wet macular degeneration. They are usually injected directly into the eye. Examples of anti-angiogeni drugs include Macugen (pegaptanib), and Retaane (anecortave acetate).