What is macular degeneration?
The macula is a small area on the central retina of your eyeball. It is responsible for all of your central, detailed vision. Damage to this area is called macular degeneration.
Dry AMD
This is the most common form of age-related macular degeneration where the macula gets progressively thinner and atrophic. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for this condition. The visual loss is very slow and occurs over many years. No specific cause of dry AMD has been identified, but research has shown that certain things contribute towards a higher risk of developing dry AMD including smoking, obesity, bad diet, and heredity factors.
In order to slow the progression of dry AMD, your ophthalmologist will recommend that you stop smoking and eat a healthy diet with lots of green, leafy vegetables, and foods high in omega 3 fatty acids such as fish.
The patient will not lose their vision entirely. Their peripheral vision is not affected by dry AMD, but their central vision and ability to see fine details and colours is severely affected.
Wet AMD
Wet AMD is less common than dry AMD, but it is more serious and can result in severe loss of visual function. In this subtype, abnormal blood vessels grow into the macula from below. These vessels tend to bleed and leak, and eventually cause severe scarring of the retina. Your ophthalmologist will advise you on the various treatment options available for wet AMD. These options help reduce the visual loss.
What are the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration?
- Distorted vision, lines appear bent
- Reduced vision
- Colours appear less bright
- Blurry spot, or blind spot in your visual field
What are some of the risk factors for developing age-related macular degeneration?
- If you’re over the age of 55
- Caucasian
- History of AMD in your family
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
What are treatment options are available for wet age-related macular degeneration?
Based on your diagnosis, and the progression of the wet AMD, your ophthalmologist will suggest a treatment plan. There are a number of treatment options for wet AMD from intravitreal injections to laser treatment. Dr Olivia Read offers all of these treatment options at her practice in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).
Intravitreal injections:
For wet AMD, intravitreal injections may help stop or slow down the growth of new vessels and limit scarring. Medications are injected into the eye cavity on a regular monthly basis. In some cases, patients may recover some of their vision as the blood vessels shrink and the fluid under the retina is absorbed. Depending on the patient, more or less injections may be needed in order to stabilise the eye.
The injection procedure itself is very quick, and is performed at your ophthalmologist’s surgery under sterile conditions. The eye specialist will numb the eye with anaesthetic drops, and inject using a very tiny needle. Most patients agree that it is relatively painless. Some may experience some redness and slight irritation for a few days following the intravitreal injection.
Photodynamic therapy:
Photodynamic laser therapy is occasionally used for a specific type of AMD. The eye specialist will inject a vein in the patient’s arm with a special dye called Verteporfin. The dye travels up the arm to the blood vessels in the eye. A special laser is used to target and activate the dye in the abnormal vessels in the eye. This causes them to close and stop leaking.
Low vision rehabilitation:
While your peripheral vision will not be affected by AMD, your central vision will deteriorate. This means that it may be difficult to recognise faces, read, or drive. Rehabilitation specialists are available to teach you how to find ways to adapt to your changing vision.
