The most common cause of irreversible vision loss among the aged

Posted by Dr Niteen Dedhia on October 14th, 2021

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration is a common cause of vision loss in people over the age of sixty.

It progressively destroys your sharp central vision. This impairs your ability to see objects clearly and makes it very difficult to undertake normal tasks such as reading and driving.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see things in fine detail. (The macula is located in the centre of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.) What you may see

Age-Related Macular Degeneration can cause loss of sharp central vision in one or both eyes. With Age-Related Macular Degeneration, you may have no obvious vision loss. Or you may have one or more of the following vision problems:

• Fuzzy or blurry areas
• Distorted lines and wavy edges
• Faded color vision
• Dark spots in your central vision

How you may feel

The thought of vision loss can be frightening. You may fear going blind. Or you may worry about being unable to drive, read, or be independent. Although Age-Related Macular Degeneration can cause vision loss that ranges from mild to severe, it rarely causes total blindness. What you can do.

Whether you have Age-Related Macular Degeneration or are at risk for it, there are ways in which you can protect the vision that you have:

• Vision monitoring and regular eye examinations can help you and your eye doctor (ophthalmologist) work together to preserve your vision.
• In some cases, laser treatment may keep Age-Related Macular Degeneration from getting worse.
• Changes in your lifestyle can help protect your eye health.