Macular Degeneration

What is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration occurs when part of the retina in your eye, called the macula, starts to deteriorate. This eye disease is common in people over 50. Because your retina helps you see fine details, macular degeneration can cause blurry or reduced central vision. 

Routine eye exams help your eye doctor detect macular degeneration and treat it before it becomes serious.

What are the symptoms of macular degeneration?

You might not experience any symptoms in the early stages of macular degeneration. Common signs and symptoms that can occur over time include:

• Reduced central vision
• Seeing straight lines as bent
• Poor night vision
• A need for brighter lights while reading
• Blurred vision
• Problems recognizing faces
• Colors fading
• Blind spots 
• Blurry spots
• Vision loss

Macular degeneration may affect both of your eyes or just one eye. Complications sometimes linked with untreated macular degeneration include social isolation and depression.

What are the risk factors for macular degeneration?

While macular degeneration can happen to anyone, risk factors for developing it include:

• Being older than age 50
• Family history of macular degeneration
• Caucasian ancestry
• Smoking
• Poor dietary habits
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Obesity

Ways to lower your risk of developing macular degeneration include maintaining a healthy weight, properly managing chronic diseases, eating healthy foods, and not smoking.

How does my eye doctor diagnose macular degeneration?

To determine if you have macular degeneration, your Lowcountry Eye Specialists provider reviews your symptoms and medical history. They check your vision and complete a comprehensive dilated eye exam. 

If needed, your eye doctor offers imaging procedures to get a better picture of the health of your eyes.

What are the treatments for macular degeneration?

While there’s no cure for macular degeneration, treatment often helps slow disease progression. Examples of solutions your provider might recommend include:

• Healthy eating
• Dietary supplements
• Not smoking
• Healthy weight management
• Injections
• Laser surgery
• Low vision rehabilitation
• Occupational therapy
• Managing chronic diseases
• Telescopic lens implant surgery

Attending routine eye exams every year, or more often if your eye doctor recommends it, is important.

To schedule your next eye exam and find out if you have macular degeneration, call the Lowcountry Eye Specialists office or request an appointment online today.