Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a condition affecting the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. Vision loss generally occurs gradually and can affect each eye at different rates. Despite the loss of central vision, color vision and peripheral vision often remain intact.

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Symptoms of Macular Degeneration:

– Early stages may cause minimal or no noticeable changes in vision

– Difficulty reading without additional light or magnification

– Distorted or blurred vision, or seeing objects in abnormal shapes, sizes, or colors

– Perception that objects “jump” when looked at directly

– Trouble reading or driving

– Inability to see fine details

– Blind spot in the center of vision

   

There are two forms of age-related macular degeneration: wet and dry.

 

Wet Macular Degeneration:

Blind spots

– This type of macular degeneration happens when abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye).

– These blood vessels can leak fluid or blood, which can cause rapid and severe vision loss.

– Symptoms often include seeing straight lines as wavy, having blurry central vision, or seeing dark spots in your central vision.

– It’s called “wet” because of the leaking fluid.

Dry Macular Degeneration:

Distorted or blurred objects

– This is a more common and less severe form of macular degeneration.

– It happens when the light-sensitive cells in the macula (a small part of the retina) slowly break down.

– Vision loss is gradual and usually not as severe as with wet macular degeneration.

– Symptoms include blurry or fuzzy vision, difficulty recognizing faces, and needing more light to see clearly.

– It’s called “dry” because there’s no leakage of fluid.

In summary, both conditions affect your central vision and can make it hard to see fine details, but “wet” involves abnormal blood vessels and faster vision loss, while “dry” is more gradual and involves the breakdown of light-sensitive cells.

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