RETINA CARE CONSULTANTS. P.A. Caring Your Vision - Special Aspects | Page 4

Get your fact and advice on age-
related macular degeneration
• What to look out for
• Two types of macular degeneration
• What can you do to prevent it
– Age-related macular degeneration typically affects people age 50 and older . Because
its causes are not entirely known and the symptoms are unnoticeable in early stages,
regular check-ups are recommended. An ophthalmologist will conduct an eye exam
and look for yellow toned deposits around the macula area of the retina, and called
drusen. The symptoms that should alarm patients are blurred central vision and
struggling to see fine details.
– This devastating condition splits into two main categories:–‘wet’ and ‘dry’. They are
named after the way the disease affects the eye’s inside, however it does not
necessarily mean that a patient would experience either watery or dry sensations. Dry
aged-related macular degeneration is the most recurrent type. It has a slow and
irreversible progression damaging central vision. In the latest stages it causes a blank
area in the eyes’ central vision, typically in both eyes, but it never leads to total
blindness.
– There are several things specialists recommend in an effort to prevent or reduce the
chances of getting an age-related macular degeneration diagnosis. Among the most
important habits a person can benefit from quitting is smoking. Just imagine that
people who smoke are four times more exposed to developing macular degeneration,
public health experts at the University of Manchester said in a British Medical Journal .