What is Age-related Macular Degeneration?
This is a progressive eye disease that affects the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision. It can either be dry or wet, depending on the severity. The wet form of Age-related Macular Degeneration is considered as more severe than the dry form.
What causes this?
Age-related Macular Degeneration is a chronic condition which is caused by an underlying metabolic disorder.
Am I at risk?
Age-related Macular Degeneration usually affects those who age over 50 years, smoke, have high blood pressure, and consume a diet that is rich in saturated fat.
How can I prevent Age-related Macular Degeneration?
While there is no cure for Age-related Macular Degeneration, you can prevent it by indulging in healthy habits like quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, healthy blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, etc.
When do I know I am facing an Age-related Macular Degeneration?
Age-related Macular Degeneration usually causes blurry or fuzzy vision, difficulty in recognition, the appearance of wavy lines, a dark spot at the center of vision, etc.
Diagnosis and treatment-
Age-related Macular Degeneration is diagnosed by tests like:
- Amsler grid: This test requires you to point out the parts on the Amsler grid that seem distorted to you. The grid is designed to have straight lines with a large dot in the center.
- Dilated eye exam: You are given eye drops to dilate, or widen, your pupils to get a closer look inside your eyes.
- Fluorescein angiography: You are injected with a yellow dye called fluorescein into a vein in your arm. A special camera tracks the dye as it travels through your eye’s blood vessels. The images can tell if there’s any leakage under your macula.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT): You are simply required to look into a lens while a machine takes images of the back of your eye, including your retina and macula.
- Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA): This diagnostic tool uses laser light reflection and the OCT scanning device to generate 3D images of blood flow through your eye.
Treatment for Age-related Macular Degeneration can be:
Although Age-related Macular Degeneration can’t be cured, it can be treated by ways like:
- Intravitreal Injections: Anti-VEGF drugs are injected into the eye to reduce the swelling and capillary growth.
- Photodynamic therapy: A combination of light energy and a photosensitizer drug is used to treat AMD under the exposure of a certain light.
- Laser therapy: A laser is burned through your retina which helps close the tears inside it.
Types of Age-related Macular Degeneration-
- Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration: This type of Age-related Macular Degeneration is when the macula gets thinner with age and occurs more commonly than wet AMD and progresses slowly over time. Even though there is no treatment for this, there are ways to make the most of your remaining vision.
- Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration: This type of AMD occurs when there’s a growth in abnormal blood vessels that damage the macula and is considered to be the more advanced stage. This can lead to faster vision loss but can be treated effectively.
Why visit AKIO for Age-related Macular Degeneration?
AK Institute of Ophthalmology provides different types of treatments like:
- Laser Photocoagulation: Laser beam is directed at the retinal tear, which produces burns that will adhere the retina to the underlying tissue.
- Injections: Medications are injected into your eye to treat this condition.
- Vitrectomy: Vitreous is removed from the eye and replaced with a gas bubble or fluid until your body naturally produces the vitreous again.
