Macular Degeneration FAQs Answered by a Kennesaw, GA Optometrist
Macular degeneration may happen to your eyes and cause you to experience vision problems. This issue may lead to blindness. It tends to occur as you age, but children and juveniles may develop it as well. Ideally, you want to receive screenings from Hester Eye Associates, PC, serving Kennesaw, GA, and the nearby region, for routine visits to detect it early. However, you should understand the condition, what causes it, and if it is preventable.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration occurs in the macula of your eye. It is the center portion of your retina; it is light sensitive. It can wear down, which can cause you to lose your vision. As mentioned above, it tends to occur as you age. Specifically, it is more common if you are 50 years of age or older.
It ranks as the top cause of blindness and causes more cases of blindness than glaucoma and cataracts together.
You may develop wet or dry macular degeneration.
What Types of Macular Degeneration Are There?
You may develop wet or dry macular degeneration. The wet form occurs when you have abnormal blood vessels or excessive fluid build-up in your macula. The dry form, on the other hand, occurs when your macula thins or wears down. The dry form is progressive while the wet form requires immediate attention because it can worsen rapidly and cause irreversible central vision loss.
What Symptoms Do You Have from Macular Degeneration?
Dry macular degeneration tends to cause visual disturbances. For instance, you may notice that straight lines look like they are bent. You might lose part of your central vision. It can affect your night vision. You might also notice that printed words look blurry. Additionally, you might notice that bright colors look dull. It makes recognizing faces difficult.
With wet macular degeneration, you experience these symptoms, but they happen rapidly. You should keep out immediate eye care with our office. You can start to lose vision within days of developing this form.
What Is the Treatment for Macular Degeneration?
You will first undergo an eye exam to check your vision and assess your eye at a routine appointment. If it is an emergency visit, your optometrist will focus on assessing your eye. After the eye exam, your doctor will determine a treatment option for you.
Your eye doctor will want to treat wet macular degeneration as soon as possible. This may include an injectable medication, such as bevacizumab. Often, you need to have these injections every month for a specific length of time, so the abnormal blood vessels shrink enough. They can help the retina absorb fluid, which can help as well.