Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration is in both wet and dry forms.

The dry type (non-neovascular) is what they call the early stage of the disease. Aging is the most frequent cause. Macular tissues thin out, and drop pigment in the macula. Doctors will diagnose the dry type when seeing yellow spots around the macula area. Vision loss may occur slowly, but this form is not as aggressive as the wet form.

The wet form of this eye problem happens in the smaller percentage of cases. This type will get up into the more advanced visual loss stages. What happens is that there is new blood vessel growth within the retina area, (beneath), and fluid along with a leakage of blood occurs. This problem will cause damages to cells of the retina. The cells will die and blinding in your main vision will take place.

When you have the wet form of this macular degeneration, there are a couple different types. The classic form has very definite blood vessel growth and the scarring you will have is very promintent.

In the occult type, the blood vessel growth that is new will not be as definitive. The leakage that takes place in MD is not as obvious as in the classic form of this eye disease.

Symptomatolgy of Macular Degeneration Types

MD is slow in its productiobn of vision loss. What you might notice early on is a sudden loss of vision that is not painful. You might be noticing shadows or be having vision that is distorted.

Doctors will usually do a test if you complain of these symptoms using the Amsler grid. This is a chart of black lines. A retinal exam will detect further problems, and finally if a problem is seen, a fluorescein angiography may be ordered. This test takes a further look at the retina and blood vessels that surround the macula area.

The Causes

Aging is the most common of all causes for MD. A declining in the visual field is what can often happens.

There is also a genetic factor called CFH. In lacking complement factor H, it has been strongly noted to a linking factor in developing MD.

People that are overweight have a high risk of getting MD in its most advanced types. Those people that on the other hand, do more activity, seem to lower their risk.

Hypertensive people are likely to have MD since the higher blood pressures are damaging to nerves back in the retinal area.

Smokers are more likely to get MD since smoking does damage to blood vessels overall.

Eye colors that are light instead of dark have less protection factors than dark-eyed people. Darker eyes have an extra pigment than do people with a lighter color eye.

Some medications may damage eyes and cause MD. The drugs that cause most side effects to eyes seem to be those drugs which are of the anti-psychotic types.



Treatments

There are hopeful treatments on the way, though none are a cure as of yet. A type of photodynamic therapy is available which slows the progression of this eye disease. This therapy has been shown to improve the vision in many people with Macular Degeneration.

Vitamins of some types have been known to increase the strength of vision. Vitamins zinc, and lutein have been known to slow the progress of vision loss as well as vitamins A,C, and E which can help eye strength.

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Age-related Macular Degeneration Disease: Exciting Discovery  Not rated yet






Age-related Macular Degeneration Disease: Exciting Discovery

by Connie Limon The clinical trial called the Age-Related Eye Disease ...