The Complete Guide: What Is Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration is an eye disease that affects the macula, which is the innermost part of the retina. As the condition progresses, it can lead to loss of central vision, which makes it hard to see objects clearly when looking straight ahead.

Vision loss from macular degeneration can be scary, as the condition can turn your life upside down. Thankfully, there are many ways to manage age-related vision loss and equip yourself to live a fulfilling life, even as your vision changes.

Today, we’re looking at the causes, symptoms, and treatments for age-related macular degeneration to help you better understand this serious eye disease. We’ll also explore the factors that can put you at a greater risk, the stages of the disease’s progression, and more.

What Is Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) breaks down your retinal tissue, specifically in the macula. This part of your retina helps you see clearly when looking straight ahead. That means that vision loss from macular degeneration can stop you from driving, reading, and even deciphering people’s faces at a certain distance.

What Are the Types of Macular Degeneration?

There are two main types of macular degeneration: wet AMD and dry AMD.

Dry macular degeneration, sometimes called atrophic AMD, is the most common form of the disease.

About 90% of AMD cases are dry age-related macular degeneration. Its symptoms progress and worsen as a person gets older and the macula weakens. The main symptoms of this type of AMD are blurred vision, trouble recognizing faces, and difficulty reading in low light.

Wet macular degeneration is less common than dry, but it causes more severe vision loss. It develops when blood vessel growth under the retina becomes irregular, allowing blood and fluid to leak into the retina.

Vision loss from this form of AMD often worsens quickly, causing straight lines to look distorted and wavy and dark spots to appear in the center of your line of sight.

What Are the Symptoms of Macular Degeneration?

The main symptoms of macular degeneration are blurry, fuzzy vision, trouble seeing straight lines, trouble reading in low light, and difficulty recognizing faces. Additionally, more severe cases of AMD can cause dark, blurry spots in the center of a person’s line of sight, making it even harder to see.

What Are the Risk Factors for Macular Degeneration?

Age is the main risk factor for AMD, and the disease is most common in people over 60 years old. Research shows that the condition can be hereditary, which means that a family history of AMD puts you at a greater risk of developing it later in life.

In addition, your lifestyle can lead to the development of AMD and other eye problems. For example, research links smoking to macular degeneration — just one more reason to quit for the sake of your health. Unhealthy diets and obesity can also put someone at a greater risk of AMD, as can high blood pressure.

One often-overlooked cause of AMD is exposure to UV light. Looking at the sun or spending too much time in intense sunlight can weaken your eyes and make you more susceptible to developing AMD and other eye diseases. That’s why wearing sunglasses and taking other steps to protect your eyes from the sun’s rays is always worthwhile.

How Is Macular Degeneration Diagnosed?

While some of the symptoms of AMD can be easy to recognize, you’ll need help from an eye care professional to get an accurate diagnosis and the proper treatment. Your eye doctor might use a series of eye exams to test for macular degeneration:

Visual Acuity Testing

One of the primary ways that eye health professionals screen for macular degeneration is through visual acuity testing. This vision test gives your optometrist or ophthalmologist a clear picture of how well you see at certain distances. Based on the results, they can detect issues with your field of vision that resemble the early stages of AMD.

Pupil Dilation

Dilating your pupils with eye drops helps an ophthalmology specialist examine your eyes up close and spot signs of AMD. This procedure allows the doctor to see your macula and retina clearly, looking for signs that you might be at a higher risk of developing AMD.

Amsler Grid

An Amsler grid is a set of straight lines an eye doctor uses to detect distortion caused by AMD. Since the condition can make lines look wavy, especially in cases of wet age-related macular degeneration, this test can confirm that AMD is the correct diagnosis.

Fluorescein Angiography

This test injects a dye into your bloodstream to make abnormal blood vessels in your eyes more visible. It helps your eye doctor detect the wet form of AMD.

If new blood vessels are causing blind spots and vision distortion, this test will highlight them and give your doctor a sense of how to proceed with treatment. This test is usually used to detect more severe cases of AMD.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

This form of eye imaging takes detailed pictures of your retinas to show signs of eye conditions like AMD. OCT can also be used to screen for eye diseases like cataracts and glaucoma, as it shows fine details in the structure of your eye that dilation can’t reveal.

What Are the Treatment Options for Macular Degeneration?

Sadly, there isn’t a cure for macular degeneration at the moment. However, you can easily manage the wet and dry forms of this common condition.

Lifestyle Changes

As we mentioned earlier, your diet and habits can significantly impact your eyesight and increase your risk of developing eye problems. Eating a diet high in antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin A can support your eyes and protect you from worsening symptoms of AMD.

In addition to changing your diet, quitting smoking is one of the best moves you can make to manage your symptoms. Smoking is a leading cause of vision loss.

Some healthcare professionals also recommend taking eye health supplements to prevent and manage AMD. The AREDS (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) supplement lineup includes vitamins C and E, along with lutein, copper, zinc, and zeaxanthin. This combination of vitamins and minerals is meant to support aging eyes and manage the progression of AMD.

Medications and Vision Aids

Some of the best treatments for AMD are photodynamic therapy and anti-VEGF therapy. These medications are injected into your bloodstream and can block or destroy abnormal blood vessels, mitigating the damage caused by AMD.

If you opt for these treatments, they’ll be administered by an ophthalmologist in an eye clinic rather than at home.

In addition to medicines, low-vision aids can help you enjoy life while dealing with your symptoms. For some folks with AMD, a pair of reading glasses with built-in magnification is enough to see more clearly while reading. For others, switching to large-print reading material can help, along with a handheld magnifier while they’re reading.

Surgery

Several types of surgery for AMD are available, and while they’re expensive treatment options, they may change your life. Laser surgery is sometimes used to remove the blood cells that cause wet AMD, which can support overall vision rehabilitation and eliminate blind spots.

Retinal translocation is another option. It involves manually moving the macula to separate it from damaged tissue, improving your field of vision.

Living Well With AMD

Dealing with AMD can be frustrating and scary, but you can continue to enjoy your life while you pursue treatment. Support groups and encouragement from friends and family can make a difference, helping you feel less alone on your journey.

Going to the eye doctor regularly is also a must, as you’re more likely to stick with your treatment plan and be given devices to help relieve your symptoms.

If you need a high-quality pair of glasses to manage your AMD symptoms, Pair has you covered. Our stylish Base Frames and magnetic Top Frames make it easier than ever to enjoy wearing glasses. So grab a Pair and experience the difference.

Sources:

Global Burden of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Targeted Literature Review | NIH

What Is an Ophthalmologist vs Optometrist? | American Academy of Ophthalmology

Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS/AREDS2) | National Eye Institute

How Smoking Can Contribute to Vision Loss and Blindness | FDA