Blurry Vision or Glare at Night? Early Signs of Cataracts You Shouldn’t Ignore
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Living With Macular Degeneration: How Early Detection Can Help Protect Your Sight
Aging causes many health conditions as different parts of your body slowly succumb to the vagaries of time. Your eyes are no exception. Fortunately, if you’re aware of the early signs of common age-related eye issues, you can stop, or at least slow, the progression of eye disease and vision loss.
Our eye health specialists at Ventura Eye Institute in Camarillo, California, want you to have the best vision possible for as long as possible. Here’s what they want you to know about age-related macular degeneration, or AMD.
Macular degeneration basics
Macular degeneration is a disease of the macula, the central part of your retina (located at the back of your eye). There are two types of AMD: wet, which accounts for just about 10% of cases, and dry, which accounts for the other 90%.
Dry AMD
If you have dry AMD, small amounts of yellow protein (drusen) build up under the macula, thinning it and causing it to dry out and become less transparent. This causes a gradual loss of central vision, but not a total loss.
Wet AMD
Wet AMD is much more aggressive. Blood vessels start to encroach on the area under the macula, causing it to bulge and deform. This causes dark spots to form rapidly in your central vision and can result in complete loss of central vision.
Early signs of AMD
Most people with AMD don’t realize it until they have already experienced some central vision loss. The earliest noticeable signs of AMD usually include:
- Blurred vision (which can also be a sign of other eye diseases)
- Poor vision in low light
- Difficulty recognizing faces, even very familiar ones
- Changes in how you perceive colors
- Dark spots in your vision
- Straight lines start to appear blurry or wavy
If you experience symptoms like these, it’s time for a comprehensive eye exam. Annual eye exams are the best way to catch AMD as quickly as possible, even before you have symptoms.
Living with AMD
While AMD is not curable, you can slow the progression of the disease with swift treatment. Depending on the type of AMD you have, your doctor may recommend injectable treatments into your eye and/or specially formulated antioxidant vitamin supplements. New treatments for AMD are being developed all the time.
The best way to adapt to your new vision limitations due to AMD is to optimize lighting where you live and work, and to get used to looking at things from a slight angle to take advantage of your unaffected peripheral vision.
Do you have early warning signs of macular degeneration? You need an eye examination right away. Call 805-388-1211 or visit the contact page to schedule an appointment at Ventura Eye Institute.
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