Macular degeneration is a common disorder of the eyes which causes central loss of vision. The central vision is what you see whenever you are looking straight ahead. The peripheral vision is what you are seeing on the sides when you are looking straight ahead. Macular degeneration never causes total blindness since it does not affect peripheral vision. When it comes to macular degeneration Washington DC residents need to be well-versed with it.
There are two main types of the condition. There is the dry type which is the most common and affects 85 percent of people with the condition. It occurs because of yellow deposits which develop below the macular. In the end, this causes vision loss and retinal damage. The wet type affects less people, about 15 percent and occurs whenever abnormal blood vessels develop beneath the macular and retina. People with this condition will see dark spots in the center of their vision owing to bleeding of the vessels or leaking of fluids.
The condition tends to progress over a period of time, and gets worse. During the early stages, one might not notice any problems with their vision. Also, if both of the eyes are affected, you might not notice any change in your vision as the disease advances. Symptoms include difficulty in adapting to bright light, reduced central vision, blurred vision and trouble when it comes to recognizing faces.
The exact cause of the disease is not clear. There however are factors which will increase risk of one developing it. It is more likely to affect those who are above the age of 65, Caucasians, those who smoke and people who are overweight. Those with cardiovascular diseases are also at risk. For you to know whether you have it, it is important to go for annual checkup of the eyes. That should be even when you feel the eyes are normal. The doctor will ask about any vision changes you might be having.
There are a number of tests that can be conducted to know whether one has the condition. For instance, there could be the use of special eye drops for dilating eyes. After that, the back of the eyes is checked for any signs of blood, fluid or yellow deposits. The doctor will also ask you to look at a grid to test your central vision.
At the moment, there is no known cure for macular degeneration. The doctor can only recommend ways slowing it down. In case you are suffering from dry macular degeneration, you need to closely work with a specialist in low vision. They will take you through the different ways you can cope with loss of vision. When other methods fail, the doctor might suggest surgery. In that case, there is implanting of telescopic lens on eyes. That helps in magnifying your field of vision.
For the wet type, you would also need to work with a specialist. The doctor might also administer medication directly into the eyes so that growth of new blood vessels is stopped. The treatment might take weeks before a difference is seen.
There are ways to reduce risk of macular degeneration. That includes quitting smoking, eating healthy meals and getting plenty of exercises. It would be better to have the condition diagnosed early.
There are two main types of the condition. There is the dry type which is the most common and affects 85 percent of people with the condition. It occurs because of yellow deposits which develop below the macular. In the end, this causes vision loss and retinal damage. The wet type affects less people, about 15 percent and occurs whenever abnormal blood vessels develop beneath the macular and retina. People with this condition will see dark spots in the center of their vision owing to bleeding of the vessels or leaking of fluids.
The condition tends to progress over a period of time, and gets worse. During the early stages, one might not notice any problems with their vision. Also, if both of the eyes are affected, you might not notice any change in your vision as the disease advances. Symptoms include difficulty in adapting to bright light, reduced central vision, blurred vision and trouble when it comes to recognizing faces.
The exact cause of the disease is not clear. There however are factors which will increase risk of one developing it. It is more likely to affect those who are above the age of 65, Caucasians, those who smoke and people who are overweight. Those with cardiovascular diseases are also at risk. For you to know whether you have it, it is important to go for annual checkup of the eyes. That should be even when you feel the eyes are normal. The doctor will ask about any vision changes you might be having.
There are a number of tests that can be conducted to know whether one has the condition. For instance, there could be the use of special eye drops for dilating eyes. After that, the back of the eyes is checked for any signs of blood, fluid or yellow deposits. The doctor will also ask you to look at a grid to test your central vision.
At the moment, there is no known cure for macular degeneration. The doctor can only recommend ways slowing it down. In case you are suffering from dry macular degeneration, you need to closely work with a specialist in low vision. They will take you through the different ways you can cope with loss of vision. When other methods fail, the doctor might suggest surgery. In that case, there is implanting of telescopic lens on eyes. That helps in magnifying your field of vision.
For the wet type, you would also need to work with a specialist. The doctor might also administer medication directly into the eyes so that growth of new blood vessels is stopped. The treatment might take weeks before a difference is seen.
There are ways to reduce risk of macular degeneration. That includes quitting smoking, eating healthy meals and getting plenty of exercises. It would be better to have the condition diagnosed early.
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You can find details about the benefits you get when you consult a macular degeneration Washington DC specialist at http://www.bethesdaretina.com/services today.
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