Question:
I’m 70 and I’m starting to see a blurred area in the middle of my vision. Any ideas?
Answer:
Have this checked immediately by an eye care practitioner. What you describe is
a symptom of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss
in Americans 60 years of age and older.
The
macula is at the center of the retina in the back of your eye. The retina
transmits light from the eye to the brain. The macula allows us to perform
tasks that require central vision, such as reading and driving.
In
some cases, age-related macular degeneration advances so slowly that people
notice little change in their vision. In others, the disease progresses faster
and may lead to a loss of vision in both eyes. It comes in two forms—wet and
dry.
Wet
age-related macular degeneration occurs when blood vessels behind the retina
start to leak and raise the macula. An early symptom of wet age-related macular
degeneration is straight lines that appear wavy. Wet age-related macular
degeneration is considered to be an advanced condition and is more severe than
the dry form. However, dry age-related macular degeneration can turn into the
wet form at any time.
Dry
age-related macular degeneration occurs when macular cells break down,
gradually blurring central vision in the affected eye. Central vision in the
affected eye can be lost. Dry age-related macular degeneration generally
affects both eyes, but vision can be lost in one eye.
The
risk of getting age-related macular degeneration increases with age. Other risk
factors include smoking, obesity, race (whites are at higher risk), a family
history of the condition, and gender (women are at higher risk).
Age-related
macular degeneration is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes
a visual acuity test, a dilated eye exam, and tonometry.
Visual acuity is measured with an eye chart test. In the dilated eye exam,
drops are placed in your eyes to enlarge the pupils. Then, a magnifying lens is
used to examine your retina. Tonometry measures the
pressure inside the eye.
You
may also be asked to look at an Amsler grid. With one
eye, you will stare at a black dot in the center of the grid. You may notice
that the straight lines in the pattern appear wavy or are missing. These may be
signs of age-related macular degeneration.
Once
dry age-related macular degeneration is in the advanced stage, no treatment can
prevent vision loss. However, treatment can delay and possibly prevent
age-related macular degeneration from progressing to the advanced stage. Some
vitamins and minerals may reduce the risk of developing advanced age-related
macular degeneration.
Wet
age-related macular degeneration can be treated with surgery, therapy, and
injections into the eye. None of these treatments is a cure for wet age-related
macular degeneration. Each treatment may slow the rate of vision decline, but
the disease may progress anyway.
If
you have lost some sight from age-related macular degeneration, don’t be afraid
to use your eyes for reading, watching TV, and other routine activities. Normal
use of your eyes will not damage your vision further.
If
you have a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com.
©
2008 by Fred Cicetti.
All rights reserved.