Individuals over 60 are most likely to experience severe vision loss due to age-related macular degeneration. It develops when the central portion of your retina, called the macula, wears down. Your retina is light-sensitive nerve tissue located at the back of your eye. The eye disease develops as you age.
There are two main types of AMD:
Individuals with this type of AMD have yellow deposits on their macula called drusen. Having small amounts of drusen cannot affect your vision. But as they become big and more, they tend to distort and dim vision. You may notice the vision changes when you are reading.
As your condition worsens, the light-sensitive cells in the macula become thinner and eventually die. You may experience blind spots in the center of your sight. As it gets worse, you may lose your central vision.
People with this form have blood vessels growing under their macula, which leak fluid and blood into the retina. Vision becomes distorted, and you may see straight lines as wavy. You can also have blind spots and eventually loss of central vision.
The blood vessels can eventually form a scar from the bleeding. As a result, you can permanently lose your central vision.
You will not have noticeable signs in the early stages of the condition. You may not get a diagnosis until AMD affects both eyes or gets worse. Some of the signs that show you may have AMD include having a less clear or worse vision.
You may see things as blurry, or you may struggle to drive or read the fine print. Your direct line of sight may have blurry and dark areas. You can also develop a different color perception.
Below are some of the factors that increase your risk of this condition:
Individuals with AMD rarely lose their sight. You may lose or have a poor central vision. But as the condition progresses, you can still see on the sides. You will manage to do your daily activities. The disease usually does not cause blindness, but you can have severe vision problems.
Going for routine eye exams is essential to identify early signs of the disease. Do your best to manage other medical conditions like high blood pressure. If you are a smoker, it's time you quit. Your doctor can help you stop smoking if you need help from a third party.
Exercising can help you maintain a healthy weight to reduce your risk of developing AMD. Eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits to ingest antioxidants to keep your eyes healthy. Including fish in your meals helps reduce AMD because of the omega-3 fatty acids in the fish.
For more on age-related macular degeneration, visit Clarity Vision at our offices in Apex, Clayton, Holly Springs, Smithfield, Williamston, North Carolina, or Suffolk, Virginia. You can also call (919) 367-2832, (919) 550-4801, (919) 646-2900, (919) 737-7200, (252) 792-2250, or (757) 638-2015 today to book an appointment.