Macular degeneration is a broad term that refers to diseases related to loss of central vision. In spite of being one of the leading causes for blindness in America, the general awareness amongst people about macular degeneration is very low. As a result, there are a number of queries that frequently asked about the disease, such as questions related to the causes for macular degeneration, its symptoms and the various other risk factors involved.
Some such frequently asked questions are listed below:
? Can macular degeneration cause blindness?
No, it only causes loss of central vision and not total blindness. However, the amount of vision loss varies from patient to patient.
? What are the different types of macular degeneration?
There are various types of macular degeneration. Some of them are age related macular degeneration (AMD). There are other hereditary types as well namely Vitelliform (Bests), Fundus Flavimaculatus (Stargardts), Central Areolar Choroidal atrophy and Cone degeneration. In certain cases, tranquilizers used over long periods can also cause macular degeneration.
? Is AMD quite common?
AMD is the most common cause of irreversible central vision loss in people above the age of 65. In the United States, 5% of people in this age group are affected by AMD.
? If one eye develops macular degeneration, will the other one also develop the degeneration?
Many patients develop scars in one eye only. The chances of the other eye developing a scar are 5-10% in a year.
? How is the retina damaged in AMD?
AMD first damages the layer under the retina, known as the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). As this layer nourishes the retina through functions which include oxygen transport, transfer of nutrients to the retina and possibly the removal of waste products from the retina. Without this layer, the retina invariably fails to function properly.
? What is the main cause of AMD?
More than 30% AMD cases are hereditary. It is twice as common in blue eyes than in brown eyes, so white people are more prone to it than blacks. However, no single mechanism is responsible for the degeneration.
? Is laser treatment effective for curing macular degeneration?
Long-term effectiveness of the treatment are not that good yet, and chances of recurrences are pretty common.
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