What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)? If so, you probably have questions about what it is and how it will affect a person. Here's a brief overview to increase your understanding of macular degeneration and perhaps relieve some anxiety about the diagnosis.

San Francisco Home Health Care states the following:
Macular degeneration is a disease of the eye caused by the deterioration of the retina and resulting in an inability to recognize faces, read, or perform other detailed tasks. Age-related macular degeneration occurs in people older than 50 and is the leading cause of vision loss for that age group.

The center part of the retina is called the macula. The macula lets you see color and details. When it deteriorates with age, you'll notice a gradual blurring in the center of your field of vision. Because of the gradual onset and the brain's ability to compensate for the vision loss by filling in the missing parts of the picture, AMD often is not diagnosed until it's fairly advanced.

Types of AMD

San Francisco Senior Care states that AMD comes in two forms: dry or atrophic and wet or exudative.

The dry form is the more common type. It's caused by the gradual erosion of the macular cells. The first signs are small, round, yellowish spots on the retina called drusen. They are visible only through ophthalmoscopic examination of the retina and rarely cause symptoms. Vision changes occur only after a prolonged period of deterioration.

The wet form of AMD occurs from an abnormal proliferation of blood vessels under the retina. The blood vessels can leak and cause damage to the light receptors in the retina. The wet type can cause rapid vision impairment if not treated.

Diagnosing AMD
AMD is diagnosed only through a comprehensive eye exam by an eye care professional. He or she may perform a visual acuity test to measure your distance vision and/or a dilated eye exam to get a clear view of your retina and possible damage. An Amsler grid is a common tool for detecting AMD. When a person with AMD looks at the grid, the lines of the grid may disappear or appear wavy.

San Francisco Elderly Care understands that a diagnosis of AMD is a life-changing event, and the associated vision loss can be traumatic. You may need to quit your job or refrain from certain activities such as driving. But there are low-vision services available that can help you make the most of your remaining eyesight and lead a fulfilling life.