General Information About Macular Degeneration
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a condition in which the macula, a millimeter-sized area providing central and most detailed vision on the back wall (retina) of the eye, deteriorates due to aging and cell death.
Dry Type (90%): It is the gradual aging and thinning of the cells, progressing slowly.
Wet Type (10%): Abnormal blood vessels form behind the macula and bleed or leak fluid into the eye. It progresses very quickly and causes sudden vision loss.
Seeing the exact center of what you are looking at (for example, the face of the person across from you) as blurry or dark (black spot), while seeing the edges clearly. Symptoms include the inability to read and seeing straight lines, such as door frames, as wavy or broken.
The disease does not impair peripheral (side) vision. Therefore, the patient is never left in pitch darkness (completely blind) and can walk around the house on their own. However, because central vision is lost, they cannot read, drive, or recognize faces.
The first clue is seeing lines as wavy when looking at the 'Amsler Grid' test, which resembles a piece of graph paper. The definitive diagnosis is made through a fundus examination and an OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography), which is a 3D scan of the retina.
For the dry type, special eye vitamins (containing Lutein and Zeaxanthin) are used to slow the progression. For the wet type, direct intraocular injections (Anti-VEGF) are administered monthly to dry up the bleeding/leaking vessels.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
