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As our eyes age, the retina (lining the inside of the back of the eyeball) starts to deteriorate, making clear vision more difficult. This is particularly true of the most sensitive part of the retina, the centrally located macular.
When this region starts to deteriorate or atrophy, the sharpness of vision is lost and this can lead to difficulty with reading, and often, the need to give up driving. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss among the elderly and approximately 25-30% of those aged over 75 show some signs of ARMD.
Macular degeneration can lead to serious visual impairment, but it rarely ends in total blindness. The condition tends to progress slowly with only some aspects of your central vision being affected. Peripheral vision is not affected, but a loss in detail when looking directly at an object can be an early sign of macular degeneration.
Other early symptoms usually involve an awareness of blurring in the central vision or distortion. For instance, there might appear to be a ‘kink’ in an otherwise straight doorframe. In this case urgent assessment is required.
‘Dry’ ARMD: 90% of people with ARMD have this type. This is a very slow degeneration of the macula and central vision slowly becomes worse over a long period of time.
‘Wet’ ARMD: 10% of people with ARMD have this type. Vision can deteriorate rapidly. As the retina atrophies (slow tissue death), chemicals are released to promote new blood vessel growth to resupply the retina with oxygen. These blood vessels tend to be fragile and leak. These leakages can cause severe and sudden vision loss.
Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for Dry ARMD. Prevention remains the best course of action. Antioxidant therapy may help prevent the progression of Dry ARMD in the intermediate stages. A healthy diet that includes dark green leafy vegetables is thought to help maintain macular health. Talk to your optometrist about the specific ARMD antioxidant formulation currently available.
Treatment for Wet ARMD is focused on causing the new blood vessel growth to regress. Injections and laser treatment may be an option and new therapies including micro- surgery and photodynamic therapy are looking promising for the future. Your optometrist can advise you on this and provide a referral.
Age is the most common cause. A family history of macular degeneration may increase your risk. In addition, people with certain medical conditions (e.g. diabetes) may be more likely to develop macular degeneration. Smoking is a known risk factor for macular degeneration. It is therefore important to make sure you have regular health checkups.
If you notice any of the symptoms described in this pamphlet we recommend that you contact us for an eye examination as soon as possible.
Kiwi's know that good things take time, so come to us, have the tests done without feeling that you have been "rushed thru", and you'll know what we mean when we say "we take the time!"
Book appointmentKiwi's know that good things take time, so come to us, have the tests done without feeling that you have been "rushed thru", and you'll know what we mean when we say "we take the time!"
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