Answers to Your Questions About Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is an eye disease that occurs when there are changes to the macula. The Macula is a small portion of the retina that is located on the inside back layer of the eye. It reduces central vision and makes seeing details for close work, like reading or sewing, difficult or impossible. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss among people over age 50.

There are two types of age-related macular degeneration. In the “dry” or atrophic type, the tissue of the macular becomes thin and stops functioning properly. This is thought to occur as part of the aging process and vision loss is usually gradual. “Wet,” or exudative macular degeneration is less common and results when fluids leak from newly formed blood vessels under the macula and blur central vision. Vision loss from the “wet” form can be rapid and severe.

Some signs/symptoms of macular degeneration are:
• A gradual loss of the ability to see objects clearly;
• Objects appear to be distorted in shape and straight lines appear wavy or crooked;
• A loss of clear color vision; and
• A dark or empty area appearing in the center of vision.

In the early stages, signs/symptoms of macular degeneration may not be noticeable, so regular eye examinations are important in early detection.

The signs/symptoms of macular degeneration can also indicate other eye health problems, so if you experience any of them, you should contact your doctor of optometry immediately. There is no cure for “dry” macular degeneration; nor can central vision lost to macular degeneration be restored.

However, doctors now believe that there is a link between nutrition and the progression of “dry” macular degeneration. They suggest that a low-fat diet, rich in dark green leafy vegetables, including spinach, some types of leaf lettuce and broccoli, can slow vision loss due to macular degeneration.