Coping with Macular Degeneration: Tips and Resources
What is Macular Degeneration?
As our age progresses, we need regular eye checks for macular degeneration. It is the primary cause of loss of visual sharpness. Macular degeneration can resentfully impact your life by influencing your ability to drive, read, walk, do computer work and even recognize faces. Macular degeneration causes damage to the retina and leads to blurred vision. Symptoms of macular degeneration are uncommon in the early stages, like warped vision, but the loss of central vision may occur in later stages of life. Eye surgeons are at the forefront of developing better therapies for age-related macular degeneration. Experts have improved their success in treating it to as high as 90 per cent with some retinal treatments.
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What are the symptoms of macular degeneration?
Symptoms of macular degeneration
- A reduction in central vision.
- Partially distortion of straight lines in your field of vision.
- Need for brighter lighting.
- Patients may have difficulty adapting to low lights.
- Blurriness in eyes
- Some trouble in recognizing faces.
- Retinal damage.
The condition acts on the spot of a retinal centre called the macula. Experts may not notice symptoms of macular degeneration for a while. The first indicator of macular degeneration may be that you do not see colours as intense or that straight lines seem warped. When such a condition progresses, symptoms can include a gradual or sudden loss of central vision. Patients might also perceive dark, blurry areas in the centre of their eyesight.
What are the types of macular degeneration?
We know the two types of macular degeneration:
- Dry
- Wet
Dry macular degeneration influences about 85 to 90 per cent of people with the condition. It occurs due to small yellow deposits called drusen that develop under the macula, and wet macular degeneration affects the remaining 10 to 15 per cent. It happens when abnormal blood vessels progress under the retina and macula.
How is macular degeneration diagnosed?
Your eye surgeon may use several types of imaging like fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, or optical coherence tomography to determine if age-related macular degeneration is in the retina and the layers beneath it. In dry age-related macular degeneration, gradual deterioration of the light-sensitive cells in the macula may occur, which transmit visual information to the brain, and a weakening of the supporting tissue beneath the macula. These changes can cause vision loss, and senior citizens can treat this condition promptly.
What is the treatment for macular degeneration?
There is currently no perfect cure treatment available for macular degeneration, but your eye surgeon can recommend alternatives to help slow disease development.
Treatment for wet macular degeneration
Working with a low-vision rehabilitation specialist can be beneficial if you have wet macular degeneration. Experts can teach you how to adjust to and cope with vision loss. Your ophthalmic surgeon may also inject medication directly into your eye to stop the growth of new blood vessels. These medications are known as anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGF) drugs.
Another treatment resource is photodynamic therapy. Your ophthalmic surgeon injects medication into a vein in one of your arms and then uses a special laser to close up leaking blood vessels. This treatment can improve your vision, but it may entail multiple therapies. Photocoagulation is another choice. The photocoagulation process involves high-energy laser beams to destroy abnormal blood vessels. This therapy aims to help stop bleeding and reduce further damage to your macula. However, the laser can cause some scarring and leave a blind spot on your eye. According to experts, aberrant blood vessels may reappear after successful photocoagulation, necessitating further treatment.
Treatment for dry macular degeneration
If you have dry macular degeneration, your ophthalmic surgeon may suggest that you work with a low-vision rehabilitation specialist. Your ophthalmic surgeon may recommend surgery to help improve your vision. During the surgery, your surgeon inserts a telescopic lens in your eye to restore the natural lens. This process magnifies your field of vision.
Can we prevent macular degeneration?
The Eye Institute conducted testing and found that daily intake of some high-dose vitamins and minerals can decline the progression of the disease. One study found that adding two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, may help reduce the risk of late-stage disease.
The original multivitamin formula works on the slowing of macular degeneration.
- 500 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C
- 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E
- 80 mg of zinc
- 15 mg of beta carotene
- 2 mg of copper
What are the Tips for the prevention of macular degeneration?
Experts haven’t determined a perfect way to prevent macular degeneration. However, you can help reduce your risk for the disease by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
These tips include:
- Quit smoking if you smoke
- Consume a healthy diet as frequently as possible
- Maintaining a moderate weight
- Exercising as much as possible