Macular Degeneration Evaluation

The retina is the wall paper-like structure which lines the back of the eye. It is thin and smooth, and is responsible for turning light into vision. The center of the retina is called the macula. The macula is the area responsible for your sharp central vision. Macular degeneration is a disease in which the central retina (the macula) deteriorates, causing distortion and loss of central vision.

Dry and Wet. The dry form occurs when the macula breaks down and deteriorates. Yellow clumps of waste tissue (called “drusen”) deposit and accumulate in the retina. The normally smooth pigment layer of the retina becomes irregular, and clumps of pigment deform the macula.

Macular degeneration is a disease of older people, typically over 60 years old. There is no known cause but there seems to be a tendency for it to run in families. In most cases, people are born with a predisposition to develop the disease, and it appears later in life. Sunlight exposure and smoking may increase the risk to develop macular degeneration as well.

Regular eye examinations are performed, primarily to check the eyes for evidence of abnormal blood vessel growth or bleeding, which may require treatment. Also, patients can monitor their vision at home with the use of an Amsler grid for signs of distortion or changes in the vision which may indicate that the dry form has progressed to the wet form.

No. Macular degeneration only affects the central vision, and peripheral vision is spared. Visual loss varies from very mild to very severe, depending on the person.