FAQ: Age-Related Macular Degeneration –

What is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration (also called age-related macular degeneration or AMD) is a condition in which the eye’s macula breaks down, causing a gradual or sudden loss of central vision.

Is macular degeneration always caused by age?

Macular degeneration usually affects people over age 65, which is why the term age-related macular degeneration (AMD) often is used to describe the condition. However, certain drugs can cause macular degeneration, and some cases are inherited, such as Stargardt’s disease, which can affect children and young adults.

Is it true that macular degeneration is becoming a bigger problem?

Yes. Experts think there are a number of reasons for this: more ultraviolet light in our environment due to a thinning ozone layer, people living longer, environmental pollutants, smoking, poor diet, obesity, etc. Another factor may be our aging population, since the risk for macular degeneration rises with age.

Although there are no sure ways to prevent macular degeneration, you should wear eyeglasses or sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection and a brimmed hat when outdoors. You should also consider exercising, not smoking, eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collard greens, etc.), protecting your eyes from blue light, and visiting your eye care practitioner on a regular basis for eye exams to check for AMD.

Who’s most at risk for macular degeneration?

If you’re over age 65, a smoker, white or have a family member with AMD, you have an increased risk for macular degeneration.

You’re also at risk if you take these drugs: Aralen (chloroquine) or phenothiazine derivatives [Thorazine (chlorpromazine), Mellaril (thioridazine), Prolixin (fluphenazine), Trilafon (perphenazine) and Stelazine (trifluoperazine)].

Can you get AMD in only one eye, or does it always occur in both?

It is possible to develop AMD in only one eye. However, as the disease progresses both eyes may become affected. If an individual has macular degeneration in one eye, he or she is more likely to develop it in the other eye than someone who does not.

Is age related macular degeneration considered a contagious disease?

No, it is not. AMD is a degenerative eye disease, which affects macula and it cannot be passed on from one person to other like contagious diseases.

Does having watery eyes mean I am about to have wet macular degeneration?

No, these are two absolutely different eye conditions. Wet macular degeneration refers to the scenario where some blood or fluid leaks underneath your retina due to growth of abnormal blood vessels. This blood or fluid doesn’t ooze out of your eyes like the water that does so when you are suffering from watery eyes. Seeing your eyes in front of a mirror won’t give you any hint of what’s going on at the back of the eye when you have AMD. Dry eyes, itchy eyes, bloodshot eyes, watery eyes and other such symptoms have nothing to do with your retina in most of the cases, including AMD. The front of the eye remains unaffected from any disease or damage to the retina.

Does having dry eyes mean I am about to have dry macular degeneration?

No, that’s not the case. Dry eyes, also referred as ‘itchy eyes’, reflect a condition that affects the front of the eye, a scenario different than dry macular degeneration, which affects the retina lying at the back of the eye.

Will ‘using’ my damaged eye after I’ve been diagnosed with AMD contribute in progression of AMD in that eye?

That’s not the case. Using your eyes for everyday tasks is not going to hurt your eyes or accelerate the AMD induced damage in any way. In fact, using more of your damaged eye can help you learn new and improved ways of seeing things, compensating for your diminished vision.

Will “resting” my good eye help prevent development of macular degeneration in it?

If you have macular degeneration in only one of your eyes, the development of macular degeneration in the other one doesn’t depend on whether you “rest” the good eye or not.

Can macular degeneration cause total blindness?

Macular degeneration only affects the macula. So, your peripheral vision will remain intact. Meaning, you will not go completely blind, but if your macular degeneration gets acutely worse, you will fall under the ‘legally blind’ category.

How painful is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is known to be a painless eye condition. In fact, you might not be able to observe any visual symptoms of the disease through its early stage development. That’s why experts advise visiting your eye doctor for regular eye check-ups, so that your retina can be examined specifically for any early symptoms of the disease.

I like reading a lot. Is my macular degeneration going to advance rapidly if I continue reading?

No, your reading habits are not going to worsen your AMD, though you may start tiring much quicker while you are reading. This would be because of requiring extra efforts in concentrating, particularly, if you have already suffered some vision loss due to AMD. So, you may need frequent breaks while going through your favourite books after suffering from this degenerative eye disease.

Is there any way to prevent macular degeneration?

Doctors aren’t sure how to prevent macular degeneration. Research suggests that ultraviolet light (and possibly blue light) factors into the problem, so sunglasses that block these solar rays might have a protective effect.

What you eat also affects your macula. Researchers think that antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E), zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and essential fatty acids all can aid in preventing macular degeneration.

Exercising and quitting smoking also might reduce your risk of AMD.

What are the signs and symptoms of macular degeneration?

Early signs of macular degeneration include: straight lines appearing wavy, fuzzy vision, night vision problems, and shadowy areas in your central vision. Your eye doctor may find indicators before you have any symptoms, so regular eye exams can mean an early diagnosis.

One way to tell if you are having these vision problems is to view an Amsler grid, which is a chart of black lines arranged in a graph pattern. 

What are the different types of macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is classified as either dry or wet. The dry form is more common than the wet (about 90 percent of patients). It may result from the aging and thinning of macular tissues, depositing of pigment in the macula or a combination of the two.

In the wet form, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes retinal cells to die and creates blind spots in central vision.

What potential vision-related symptoms should I be aware of and mention to my eye doctor if they arise?

• More light is needed for tasks such as reading
• A blurry spot appears in the center of the visual field
• A blurry spot becomes larger and darker 
• Straight lines may appear wavy 
• Straight-ahead vision becomes distorted or lost entirely in a short period of time

Do not delay in informing your doctor of any changes in your vision, as they may be indicators of potential permanent damage that can happen very quickly

If diagnosed with AMD, what questions should I ask my doctor?

• Do I have wet macular degeneration or dry?
• Do I have it in one eye or both eyes?
• What stage of the disease do I have? 
• How often should I come in for check-ups?
• What is the Amsler grid and how often should I perform a test with it at home?
• Are there things that I can do to delay disease progression?
• What are the current treatments for macular degeneration?
• Are there lifestyle changes that I should make?
• Should I alter my diet?
• Do my current medications affect disease progression?
• Should I begin to take vitamin supplements?
• Will vitamin supplementation interfere with medications, or vice versa?
• Are there any experimental treatments for macular degeneration? 

Is macular degeneration curable?

No, but treatment can slow or even stop the progression of the wet form, so the earlier you’re diagnosed, the better.

What macular degeneration treatments are currently available?

Currently there are a number of FDA-approved medical treatments for wet AMD, including eye injections of Lucentis, Macugen and Eylea.

Photocoagulation is a type of laser surgery that can sometimes slow vision loss in patients with the wet form of macular degeneration.

At this time, there are no FDA-approved medical treatments for dry AMD. However, a number of drug candidates are currently being developed and evaluated in clinical trials.

Based on clinical studies that have shown certain nutrients and antioxidants may slow the progression of dry AMD, some eye doctors recommend specific nutritional supplements for people who are either at risk for macular degeneration or have early signs and symptoms of AMD.

Patients who have significant vision problems caused by macular degeneration often can benefit from low vision devices to help them read, use a computer and more.

Are there any low vision aids and other resources available to help people with advanced macular degeneration?

People with late AMD or advanced macular degeneration are troubled significantly in performing even trivial daily chores like reading, sewing, driving, using a telephone, recognizing faces and so forth.

This is because of the damage done to their central vision due to the degeneration of macular tissue. However, in majority of cases, the side vision or peripheral vision, the ability to view sideways, remains intact even in people with advanced macular degeneration.

Thanks to rapidly advancing medical care facilities, there are a host of options aimed at expediting their leftover side vision by projecting images on the undamaged region of the retina instead of its normal position, i.e. the centre of the retina, which is already damaged in case of advanced macular degeneration.

Until some time ago, this was done with the help of resources like handheld magnifiers, phones with larger buttons and certain other digital magnification devices. Now there are solutions like IrisVision, one of the best low vision aids in the market right now, which combines the expertise of top medical professionals with contemporary telecom advances to make sure people suffering from age related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and other degenerative age related eye diseases.

In fact, it is also commonly known as the best “macular degeneration eyeglasses” due to its efficiency in assisting people with macular degeneration.