Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration (also known as age-related macular degeneration) is an eye disease that affects central vision. This means that people with macular degeneration can’t see things directly in front of them. This common age-related eye condition mostly occurs in people over the age of 50.
Macular degeneration affects your macula, the central part of your retina. Your retina is in the back of your eye and controls central vision. People with macular degeneration aren’t completely blind. Their peripheral vision (ability to see things off to the sides) is fine.
== Symptoms ==
The macula helps send images from your eye’s optic nerve to your brain. If you have a damaged macula, your brain can’t understand or read the images that your eyes see. The symptoms include:
*Many people with macular degeneration don’t have symptoms until the disease progresses. You may experience:
*Being less able to see in low light.
*Blurred vision.
*Problems or changes in the way you see colors.
*Low vision.
*Straight lines that you see as curving or wavy. If you’re looking at lines that you know should be straight but they appear wavy or curved, you should contact an eye care provider.
*Blank spots or dark spots in your field of vision.
== Causes ==
Macular degeneration can be an inherited eye disease. But it also develops in people with no family history of the disease. Macular degeneration occurs when the macula at the back of your eye starts to waste away for unknown reasons. Getting older is a factor in age-related macular degeneration.Non-age-related macular degeneration may be associated with:
*Diabetes.
*Head injuries.
*Infections.
*A diet lacking in required nutrients.
== Types ==
There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet.
=== Dry (atrophic) macular degeneration ===
Nearly 90% of people with macular degeneration have the dry form. It develops when tiny yellow protein deposits called drusen form under your macula. The built-up deposits dry and thin your macula.
Vision loss with the dry form of macular degeneration tends to occur gradually. Most people don’t completely lose central vision. In some cases, the dry form can change to the wet form.
=== Wet (exudative) macular degeneration ===
Wet (exudative) macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels develop under your retina and macula. The blood vessels leak blood and fluid. “Exudative” is a term that refers to how the fluids ooze.
Because of fluid buildup, a bulge forms in your macula. You may see dark spots in your center of vision. About 10% of people with macular degeneration have the wet form. This type is more severe. It can quickly lead to total loss of central vision.
== Treatment ==
There’s no cure for macular degeneration. Starting treatments early can slow the progression of the disease and make symptoms less severe. Even with successful treatments, symptoms often return. Depending on the disease type, treatments include nutritional supplements, medications, photodynamic therapy (PDT) and laser therapy.
Category:Eyes
Category:Chronic