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Macular Degeneration Symptoms

Macular degeneration symptoms can be sudden
and scary.

Just how common is macular degeneration? A macular degeneration study by the The Centers for Disease Control estimates that about 1.8 million people over age 50 have advanced macular degeneration. Plus, another segment of 7.3 million have intermediate macular degeneration and are at risk for serious vision loss.

This macular degeneration study shows that it's fast becoming one of the very concerning elderly issues to deal with. And macular degeneration treatments are still few. Macular degeneration is considered to be an age-related disease causing severe loss of vision, and is therefore often known as ARMD or AMD (age related macular degeneration).

There are two types: wet macular degeneration (“exudative”) and dry macular degeneration (“atrophic”). They have similar symptoms, but their conditions are obviously quite different.

It is important for baby boomers and elderly in the above-50 age bracket to get yearly eye exams with dilation. If symptoms do appear, your doctor is able to get you macular degeneration help more quickly. Ask your doctor about the macular degeneration grid test (Amsler Grid) to help track this disease in advance.

According to U.S. government estimates, by the year 2020 our country alone will have over 2.9 million with advanced macular degeneration. Needless to say, it's very important for the aging population to become familiar with macular degeneration symptoms.

But first, what is macular degeneration? An explanation of this vision loss disease will help explain macular degeneration symptoms.
(Also see macular degeneration treatment, and macular degeneration prevention).

So What Happens to Our Eyeballs?

The inside layer of the eye is called the retina. It contains many nerves that communicate the sense of sight. The retina is responsible for our sharp, clear vision, and our straight-ahead line of vision. The central part of the retinal area is called the macula. When the macular undergoes changes, it results in central vision loss, appearing as blind spots and distortion. The macula takes care of about 35% of our vision field. Our peripheral vision comprises 65%, which is the rest of our vision field. Peripheral vision is not affected by macular degeneration, so ARMD alone does not cause total blindness.

Two types of retina changes can occur in macular degeneration:

Dry macular degeneration – cellular debris accumulates in the retinal area. It can then dry out, atrophy, become thin, cease to function. If this becomes too serious, the retina can detach. Dry macular degeneration is most common, responsible for about 90% of cases.

Wet macular degeneration – fluids and blood leak from abnormal blood vessel growth behind the retina. There is excessive bleeding, leakage, and eventually scarring below the macula. If undetected, the outcome can be irreversible damage. Wet macular degeneration is more rare, with about 10% of cases.

Macular degeneration symptoms can start out subtle and gradual at first. The disease may have already appeared within the eye, but the patient would not even realize it.

Here are the most common macular degeneration symptoms:

Gradually unable to see objects and surroundings clearly.
Blurred, fuzzy vision in the central vision area; can grow larger.
With wet macular degeneration, though, the onset of vision loss can happen quickly – sometimes within days or weeks.
Colors are no longer clear.
Details are no longer clear.
Contrast in darks and lights is less discernable.
Shadows are no longer seen.
Objects and straight lines appear wavy or distorted – example: miniblinds.
A foggy, empty or dark area appears in the center of your vision.
Able to see only through peripheral vision.
Sensitivity to bright lights, and eyesight is slower to recover after exposure.

See the Before and After photos to the right, based on the description of one macular degeneration patient. (This is just one example of how vision can look.)

If you notice any of the above macular degeneration symptoms in yourself or a loved one, talk to your eye doctor immediately. How macular degeneration vision can look

How macular degeneration vision can look

Since macular degeneration results in loss of vision in the central eye area, the outer peripheral vision is not affected. Therefore, patients rarely become totally blind from ARMD itself. In fact, very few people with vision loss become totally blind. Total blindness can be in conjunction with other elderly health issues, such as stroke or trauma. However, macular degeneration symptoms can quickly lead to legal blindness, with will necessitate a serious change in lifestyle and coping skills.

See also:
Macular Degeneration Help
Macular Degeneration Treatment
Macular Degeneration Prevention
Macular Degeneration Nutrition

The AREDS macular degeneration study recommends particular nutritional guidelines -- also effective not only for other types of vision problems, but as an excellent means of maintaining overall elderly healthcare.

Read my dad's story with the scary-sounding eyeball shot -- on our page about Avastin Macular Degeneration Treatment. (It's not as bad as you may think.)

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