Macular Degeneration
is the leading cause of vision loss among most of the people in the world. Macular
Degeneration occurs in the central part of the retina, causing severe damage to
the light-sensitive nerve tissue.
Macular
Degeneration can also be developed as part of the body's natural aging process.
This disease mostly occurs among the older people above 60 years of age. There
are different kinds of macular problems, but the most common is ARMD or Age-Related
Macular Degeneration. The symptoms for Macular Degeneration are blurriness,
dark areas or distortion in the central vision, and sometimes even permanent
loss of the central vision. In normal cases it does not affect the side or the
marginal vision of a person. The main cause of Macular Degeneration is the formation
of deposits called drusen below the retina. Whereas, in some cases there is an
abnormal growth of blood vessels under the retina.
There are many
people in this world who don’t know what is Macular Degeneration,
unless and until they have a noticeable vision problem or until it is detected
during an eye examination. People with an advanced stage of Macular
Degeneration continue to have useful vision using their side or marginal
vision. With or without treatment, macular degeneration alone has never caused
total blindness. Although, when it does it normally begins in just one eye,
though it may affect the other eye later.
There are two
types of Macular Degeneration, Dry Macular Degeneration and Wet Macular
Degeneration. Among which 85% to 90% of the Macular Degeneration are of the dry
type. Given below is the elaborated definition for both the types of Macular
Degeneration:
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Dry Macular Degeneration
Dry Macular
Degeneration is characterized by the presence of yellow deposits, called
drusen, in the macula. The macula is the part of the retina responsible for
clear vision in your direct line of sight. When the drusen grows in a large
number, they may lead to a dimming or distortion of vision that people find
most noticeable when they read. Dry macular degeneration may first develop in
one eye and then affect both. Over time your vision worsens, which may affect
your ability to do things such as read, drive and recognize faces.
-
Wet Macular Degeneration
Wet Macular Degeneration is characterized
by the growth of abnormal blood vessels from the choroid underneath the macula.
This is called choroidal neovascularization. It is the more advanced type of
Macular Degeneration. Although it affects only 10% to 15% of those who have the
condition, it accounts for 90% of the severe vision loss caused by Macular
Degeneration. This damage to the macula results in rapid central vision loss.
Once this vision is destroyed, it cannot be restored.
Fortunately for people with wet Macular
Degeneration, there are several treatment options available in the market. So, it
is advised for people to get treated for Macular Degeneration.
