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What Is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration is a disease affecting the macular region of the eye, which is the area in the retina where the sharp vision is obtained. If the macula is thought of as a bull's eye, the fovea is then the very centre of the bull's eye. It is the fovea that obtains the sharpest vision. There are various forms of macular degeneration; the most common is called age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).
Picture #1 Normal fundus labelled
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ARMD is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in patients over 65. In fact, almost 11 % of patients between 65 to 74 years of age and 30% of the patients over the age of 75 will have ARMD. As the population ages, and specifically the baby boomers increase in age, the number of cases of ARMD will increase significantly.
ARMD robs the patient of central vision, but it rarely makes the patient completely blind with total darkness in the eye. It may, however, leave the patient legally blind, which by definition is a central visual acuity worse than 20/200. A patient who is legally blind will have difficulty in areas such as reading and watching television, but may still be able to see to navigate.
The impact of ARMD is devastating to those who were active and independent prior to having problems with this disease. Patients get frustrated as their independence diminishes and the simple things they were once able to do become increasingly difficult. Many times, patients are no longer qualified to drive and depend on public transportation or family and friends to bring them to their destinations. Larger print books and material may be required. Patients may have to stop working if their vision is sufficiently poor to prevent them from doing their job properly. The impact of ARMD is increasing as it is affecting the daily lives of many people, and thus its societal impact is also very significant.
Disclaimer To go forward, please acknowledge the following statement: The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. We encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your situation with your health practitioner. |
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