The Macula & Its Purpose

The macula is located in the center of the retina. It exists as a small group of cells that react to light. Their high sensitivity allows us to see fine details, which gives us the ability to read and recognize faces.

As your macula degenerates, vision becomes distorted or blurry. Over time, your field of vision can develop empty spaces or your central vision can become darkened. Left untreated, AMD can cause complete loss of central vision.

Dry and Wet AMD

Your macula is damaged in two different ways, leading to two different forms of age-related macular degeneration: Wet and dry.

Detecting AMD

Early detection is crucial to reduce the damage caused by this disease. During your comprehensive eye exam, the optometrist will do multiple tests to check for irregularities in your vision and examine your retinas through dilated pupils. You may be given an Amsler grid to monitor your vision. It is made of vertical and horizontal lines that may appear wavy or curved to those with AMD. If age-related macular degeneration has developed to the point of vision loss there may be additional dark spots or blank areas in the grid.

Another method of identifying this condition is through optical coherence tomography (OCT). OCT is a painless procedure that creates a high-resolution image of your eye tissue using light rays. Through these images, optometrists are able to see underlying issues before they become serious, and irreversible.

Treating AMD

There is no cure for age-related macular degeneration, but there are treatments. Ocular injections and laser therapy have proven useful against the progression of this disease in cases of wet AMD. Proper nutrition and vitamin intake help to prevent early AMD. UV protection sunglasses are also beneficial. Lifestyle choices such as smoking cessation and reduced alcohol consumption can improve your chances of not developing this condition.