Useful Terms
Macula = small, central portion of the retina with more sensitivity than the rest of the retina and is
responsible for central vision
Peripheral retina = the area of the retina that does not contain the macula and is responsible for
peripheral (side) vision
Common Symptoms
- Dim and blurry spot in the central vision (first sign)
- Blurriness
- Darkened areas
- Distortion in central vision
Risk Factors
- Hereditary = can be passed on to children and future descendants
- Smoking
- High Blood Pressure
- High cholesterol
- Obesity
- Light skinned females with light eye colors
Causes
Dry Form
- Formation of yellow deposits called drusen under the retina
- As the size and number of the drusen increase, central vision becomes dimmer and moredistorted
- Loss of vision is gradual process as the increase presence of drusen degrades the macula into astate of atrophy
- The atrophic state leads to blind spots in the central vision before it is eventually completelylost
Wet Form
- About 10% of those who experience the dry form will also experience the wet form
- Abnormal blood vessels grow in the choroid, a layer underneath the retina
- They leak fluids and blood that blur and distort central vision
- The process of vision less is quickened and more apparent
- As time passes and the leakage continues, it may spread to both eyes and permanent loss of thecentral vision
Diagnosis
- Drusen can be detected in a routine eye exam
- If one looks at an Amsler grid and sees wavy lines or missing lines, then he/she has the dryform
- In angiography, a dye is injected into the vein of the arm and reaches the eye and retina.
- Photographs are taken while the dye travels to look for the abnormal blood vessels of the wetform
- An OCT can also be used to look for these blood vessels by using light waves to take cross-sectionpictures of the retina
Treatment
- There is no cure for the disease
- Anti-angiogenesis drugs (Avastin, Eyelea, Lucentis, Macugen) block the growth of the abnormal bloodvessels and their leakage
- Repeated treatment sessions can lead to a recovery of vision that was lost or evencomplete reversal of the damage
- Photodynamic laser therapy
- The light-sensitive drug Visudyne is injected into the bloodstream to be absorbedby the abnormal blood vessels
- Then a cold laser is used to activate the drug and weaken the blood vessels or evendestroy them
- Low vision aids help people make the most of the vision they have left through the use of speciallenses or systems to enlarge images of objects or people nearby