Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the world. The eye-health organization Prevent Blindness America estimates that 13 million Americans have macular degeneration.

The disease breaks down the macula, the light-sensitive part of the retina. Macular degeneration is diagnosed as either dry (atrophic) or wet (exudative). The wet form of the disease is less common but usually leads to more serious vision loss. Macular degeneration mainly affects central vision, causing "blind spots" directly ahead.

Macular degeneration can produce a slow or sudden painless loss of vision. If straight lines look wavy to you, your vision seems fuzzy, or there are shadowy areas in your central vision, you may be experiencing early signs of AMD.

Eyecare practitioners often detect early signs of macular degeneration before you experience symptoms, usually through a visual field screening. If the eyecare practitioner detects some defect in your central vision he will order a much longer test that provides more extensive information about your vision.

The exact causes of age-related macular degeneration are still unknown. Factors that place you at higher risk include having a family member with AMD, smoking, high blood pressure, farsightedness and obesity. Whites and females tend to get the disease more than their counterparts.