February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Month!
Age-related macular degeneration, also known as AMD, is the #1 cause of blindness among older Americans. The macula is the part of your retina that is responsible for your central vision, especially the fine, sharp details. Age-related macular degeneration occurs when the macula begins to deteriorate due to aging.
Over the past decade, there have been significant developments in the research and treatments for AMD, making the condition much more manageable. However, even with these improvements, AMD still leads to significant vision damage and blindness if left untreated, or if treatment is delayed. It is vital to detect AMD early to prevent as much damage as possible.
There are two forms of AMD: dry and wet. Dry AMD is more common, and accounts for more than 80% of cases. Wet AMD typically progresses much more quickly and leads to more severe vision loss.
Dry AMD is an early, less severe stage of the disease and may result from the aging and thinning of macular tissues, depositing of pigment in the macula or a combination of the two processes. With wet macular degeneration, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes permanent damage to light-sensitive retinal cells, which die off and create blind spots in central vision.
Symptoms/Detection
The most common first sign of AMD is the occurrence of yellow/white spots, known as drusen, in and/or around the macula. These spots are believed to be deposits or debris from surrounding deteriorating tissue. The technology we use during eye examinations allows us to take images of the retina’s layers, including the macula. We then inspect the images for drusen or any changes since your last exam.
Keep an eye out for the following symptoms of AMD:
shadowy areas in your central vision
unusually fuzzy/distorted vision
difficulty recognizing familiar faces
straight lines appearing wavy
a dark/blank spot in your field of vision
Risk Factors
AMD can run in families, so if you have a family history of AMD, be sure to have yearly eye exams and keep us up to date with your history. You are at a higher risk for the disease, so it’s important to have more frequent exams to detect any changes as soon as possible.
Other risk factors for AMD include:
being 55+
smoking
hypertension
lighter eye color
obesity
high levels of dietary fat
and potentially, sun exposure
Preventing AMD
You can lower your risk of developing AMD by:
not smoking
eating a healthy, well-balanced diet (with lots of leafy green vegetables!)
monitoring and controlling your blood pressure
getting regular, comprehensive eye exams!
being aware (and making sure your doctor is aware) of your family health/vision history
Keeping up with all of these healthy habits will also ensure the condition is detected and treated as soon as possible if you do develop it.
Treatment
Treatment options for AMD will depend on the form that you have. Currently, no FDA-approved treatments exist for dry AMD, although nutritional intervention can be very effective at preventing its progression to the wet form.
We prescribe the daily AREDS2 vitamins for those in the intermediate or advanced stages of the disease. This supplement contains vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin.
For wet AMD, treatment aims to stop abnormal blood vessel growth. Currently, the FDA-approved treatment options are drugs called Lucentis, Eylea, Macugen and Visudyne used with Photodynamic Therapy or PDT.
These drugs use verteporfin, a light-sensitive medicine that is injected into the eye. Verteporfin “turns on” when hit by the laser used in PDT (sometimes called a cold laser). The laser is shined on a very small area in the back of your eye, causing the verteporfin to break down the blood vessels that are causing your vision loss.
For most people, this injection is the only treatment needed. However, the effects are short-lasting, so you may need to get the treatment again every few months or so.
Early detection of wet macular degeneration may reduce vision loss. In some cases, early treatment may recover vision - be sure to protect your vision for the future by making comprehensive eye exams a yearly priority!
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