Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-Related macular degeneration is a degenerative disease of the macula, which is the central part of the retina responsible for our vision. Macular degeneration can result in progressive loss of central vision and is the most common cause of blindness in older Americans. Certain individuals develop this condition due to a complex and incompletely understood combination of genetic and environmental factors. We do know that smoking and a family history of macular degeneration will increase your risk of this disorder. If you have a family history of macular degeneration, it is important to have yearly comprehensive dilated eye exams.
There are two major types of macular degeneration: a “dry” type and a “wet” type. Dry macular degeneration generally progresses slowly over the course of years. The National Eye Institute conducted two studies (referred to as the Age-Related Eye Disease Study) which found that patients with intermediate macular degeneration benefited from taking a collection of antioxidant vitamins. This reduced the progression of macular degeneration by about 25% and is commercially available as Preservision with the “AREDS 2” formula. Components of this formula include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, Copper, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin. Supplementing your diet with green leafy vegetables can help to increase your intake of most of these nutrients, and is a good idea for patients with milder dry macular degeneration.
The “wet” type of macular degeneration can be more severe, and can result in faster vision loss over the course of months, weeks, or even days. This results from abnormal blood vessels under the retina that cause swelling or bleeding. This causes damage to the retina, which can result in central blindness. Fortunately, if caught early enough, there are very effective treatments for wet macular degeneration. There are several medications called Anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) medications that can be injected into the eye to stabilize swelling and bleeding. In the vast majority of patients, this will stabilize the vision, and in many cases can improve vision that has been lost. Dr. Flood is the first retina specialist to offer these treatments in Stillwater, and the only retina specialist available full time in Stillwater to care for you at all stages of the treatment process. Please call us at 405-743-4212 to set up an appointment. You may also visit our Youtube Channel or our Facebook page for other useful information on eye health and eye disease.