Macular Degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss over 65. Often the signs are seen decades before trouble begins. Unfortunately, many simple early treatments that can lower the risk of vision loss aren’t started soon enough.
Having your vision fail as you get older can be concerning. Often people consider it a natural part of aging. That just isn’t true.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration is a condition of the eye in which the center of the vision or macula degenerates. While this can happen to anyone of any age, it is most common in older adults. When it occurs in older adults, it is called age-related macular degeneration. The condition will worsen without treatment and slow reading speed and ultimately cause damage to the best, reading, central, and color vision.
Symptoms of Macular Degeneration
The symptoms of macular degeneration can often be subtle and painless. it can be seen decades before a patient notices it. That’s why an eye exam by an ophthalmologist is so important. It is also important that when you notice changes in your vision that you seek out an eye doctor for an exam. Some of the common symptoms of age-related macular degeneration include:
- Frequent changes in prescription lenses particularly for reading.
- Shadowy areas in your central vision
- Unusually blurry or distorted vision
There are some other signs of macular degeneration that are only visible to an eye doctor with the appropriate equipment. They will do a complete exam of the retina to diagnose the problem. This diagnosis can come before you have noticeable symptoms. Even a family history of the disease would be reason for some simple measures, like stopping smoking and making sure you take 20 mg of lutein per day.
Treatment Options
For many, there are very specific dietary and oral therapy that can slow the disease. There are a number of factors that affect treatment, including whether it is wet or dry macular degeneration and the stage of the disease.
The last 15 years have brought many new medicines for the wet form of the disease and Yellow Micropulse Laser has shown great promise.
If you have a family history, are 60 or older, or have difficulty with near vision, please contact us today to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive retinal exam.