What is macular degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in adults over 50. It affects the macula, a small spot at the center of the retina, the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye. The macula gives you sharp central vision: the detail you use to read, drive, recognize faces and see fine work up close.
AMD does not cause total blindness. Side (peripheral) vision usually stays intact, but losing central vision can make everyday tasks much harder. The good news is that today there are more ways than ever to slow it down and protect your sight, especially when it is caught early.
The two types
- Dry AMD (non-exudative) is the most common form, affecting most people with AMD. Small yellow deposits called drusen build up under the retina, and the macula slowly thins over time. It usually progresses gradually over years. Its advanced stage is called geographic atrophy, when patches of retinal cells waste away and leave blind spots in central vision.
- Wet AMD (exudative or neovascular) is less common but more serious. Abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and leak fluid or blood, which can damage central vision quickly, sometimes within days or weeks. Dry AMD can turn into wet AMD at any time, which is why regular checkups matter.
Who is at risk?
Age is the biggest risk factor, and AMD becomes more common after 50. Other things that raise your risk include:
- Smoking, which roughly doubles the risk
- A family history of macular degeneration
- High blood pressure, heart disease and high cholesterol
- Being overweight
- Being of European descent, or having light-colored eyes
What are the symptoms?
Early AMD often has no symptoms at all, so a dilated eye exam is the only way to catch it. As it progresses, you may notice:
- Blurry or fuzzy central vision
- Straight lines, like door frames or window blinds, that look wavy or bent
- A dark, gray or empty spot in the center of what you are looking at
- Needing brighter light to read, or trouble adjusting to dim rooms
- Colors that look less bright
Because the stronger eye can cover for the weaker one, changes in one eye are easy to miss. Check each eye on its own by covering the other. If your central vision suddenly gets worse, or straight lines suddenly look wavy, call us right away. This can be a sign of wet AMD, and fast treatment gives the best chance of saving vision.
How is it diagnosed?
Your doctor will dilate your pupils to look closely at the retina. A painless scan called OCT (optical coherence tomography) takes detailed cross-section pictures of the macula, showing drusen, thinning or fluid that cannot be seen any other way. You may also be given an Amsler grid, a simple chart of straight lines, to check your vision at home between visits.
How is macular degeneration treated?
There is no cure yet, but treatment depends on the type and stage, and it has improved a great deal in recent years.
- Early dry AMD: no treatment is needed. Your doctor will monitor your eyes with regular exams and OCT scans to watch for changes.
- Intermediate dry AMD: a specific vitamin formula known as AREDS2 (vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein and zeaxanthin) has been shown to lower the chance of progressing to advanced AMD. Ask your doctor before starting it.
- Geographic atrophy (advanced dry AMD): newer FDA-approved eye injections can slow how quickly the damaged areas grow. They do not bring back vision that has already been lost, but they can help preserve what you have.
- Wet AMD: the standard treatment is anti-VEGF medicine, given as a quick injection into the eye after it is fully numbed. These medicines stop the abnormal vessels from leaking and growing. Treatments are repeated on a schedule, often every one to three months, and many patients keep or even improve their vision. Anti-VEGF injections have replaced the older LASER treatments that were once used for wet AMD.
Living well with macular degeneration
Whatever your stage, a few habits help protect your eyes:
- Don’t smoke, and if you do, quitting at any age helps
- Eat leafy greens, colorful vegetables and fish
- Keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control
- Wear sunglasses outdoors
- Keep every follow-up appointment, even when your vision seems fine
If central vision has already been affected, low vision aids such as magnifiers, brighter task lighting, large-print books and phone or tablet accessibility features can make reading and daily tasks easier.
Our doctors diagnose and manage macular degeneration here in Lake Charles. If you are over 50, have a family history of AMD, or have noticed any change in your central vision, call to schedule a dilated eye exam.