(http://www.PreserveMacForte.com) An eye ailment that can lead to blindness, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the primary cause of vision impairment for residents in the United States who are older than 65, reported Tech Ridge Vision recently.
Although there is no known cure for the ailment, there are treatments that can slow down the progression of AMD, which is caused by damage to the retina’s central portion. Since the condition develops over a prolonged period, it’s important that people get their eyes tested regularly so that eye doctors can, if necessary, provide an early diagnosis, according to the article.
When it comes to AMD, there are two kinds, the dry form and the wet form, according to the article. The former, which refers to AMD in its beginning stage, occurs when the eye tissue starts to degenerate and decay. The former occurs when the body seeks to fix the deterioration by manufacturing more blood vessels. This process, however, leads to blood leakage that harms the retina and creates blind spots.
People who are concerned about their eye health might wonder what warning signs they should be on the lookout for. The primary sign of AMD is central vision loss that continues to get worse over time. When the condition first starts to set in, people oftentimes find that straight lines appear to be crooked.
According to the article, people who are at least 50 years old are more likely to be diagnosed with AMD than are those who are younger. The article added that women, people who smoke, Caucasians and those with high cholesterol are also more likely to get AMD than are others.
Fortunately, AMD can easily be diagnosed as part of regular eye exams performed by qualified health professionals. The eye examinations check for retina imperfections that might be the result of AMD or other eye issues.
There are various ways to treat AMD. In the non-invasive category, the options include dietary changes, lifestyle changes and specific types of medications to slow down the progression of the eye ailment. In the invasive category, the options include surgical procedures that can either slow down or halt the progression of AMD.
Reference: http://www.techridgevision.com/blog/2013/01/02/diagnosing-macular-degeneration-120150