The abnormal blood vessels tend to hemorrhage or leak, resulting in the formation of scar tissue if left untreated. In some instances, the dry stage of macular degeneration can turn into the wet stage. Macular degeneration develops differently in each person. Because it will affect regions of the macula differently from person to person, the symptoms tend to vary. Macular degeneration causes a progressive loss of central sight, however, it does not cause total blindness.
Peripheral vision is unaffected, allowing a certain amount of mobility in normal surroundings.
If left untreated, the wet type of macular degeneration may progress rapidly. The symptoms described above may not necessarily mean that you have age-related macular degeneration . However, if you experience one or more of these symptoms, contact your eye doctor for a complete exam. Treatment Macular Degeneration in the earliest stages of macular degeneration, abnormal yellow deposits known as drusen accumulate beneath the retina. However, the AMD Genetic Study Group at the U-M Kellogg Eye Center is working to understand how changes in our genes lead to the development of this common disease.