Macular Degeneration
Medicine is founded on the principle of prevention. All patients at risk for advanced macular degeneration are recommended biannual examinations with imaging. Those with more avdanced disease must be seen more frequently and may require treatment with injections that deliver medications directly to the eye.
What are some preventative measures I can take?
Avoid Smoking
Eat dark green leafy vegetables (high in antioxidants)
Use AREDS2 vitamins if you have moderate or advanced dry macular degeneration
Use an Amsler Grid to look for warping of your vision (metamorphopsia)
Get regular exams with a retina specialist
What are the two forms of macular degeneration?
Traditionally, there is a "dry" macular degeneration and "wet" or "exudative" macular degeneration. If you have the dry kind, there are no leaking blood vessels and typically we do not treat this form except for with vitamins if you meet certain criteria. However, new and exciting medicines now exist to slow down dry macular degeneration - specificially geographic atrophy. We can discuss whether these are right for you.
Exudative or "wet" macular degeneration means you have aberrant blood vessels that are leaking into your central vision. This form can lead to rapid vision loss, and if caught in time can be slowed down or reversed with injections of medicine into the eye. Where people once went blind, there is a treatment that works in many cases.
How do I tell which one I have?
A consult with a retina specialist is the best way, as we use Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to get a detailed picture of your eye that allows us to see leaking vessels and fluid. We may also get an angiogram to look for aberrant blood vessels in the eye.
Does this disease run in families?
There is evidence of a genetic component to the disease, meaning you can be at risk or predisposed to the disease if your parents or grandparents had the disease. However, some people have no family history and get the disease. We are still learning about risk factors that predispose you to macular degeneration. White females are at highest risk, and smokking increases your risk significantly.