|
Amblyopia
Cataract
Eye Injuries
Glaucoma
Diabetes Eye Disease
New Zealand National Eye Bank Trust
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading
cause of vision loss in the western world, and typically
affects people over 60 years old. |
|
|
 The
eye is like a camera (see diagram). The cornea and the lens
focus light onto the retina, which lines the back of the
eye and acts like the photographic film in a camera. The
macula is the central part of the retina and is responsible
for our ability to see fine detail, for reading, driving
and recognising faces. The Macula is also responsible for
colour vision.
|
|
|
With AMD there is damage or breakdown of the macula. Although
AMD causes blurring of the central vision and thus impairs
reading especially, it does not affect side vision so it
does not result in total blindness. People with this complaint
usually retain reasonable getting-about vision.
|
normal eye
|
AMD
|
|
|
|
In its early stages there may be no significant effect on
vision. Usually the first symptoms are loss of clarity when
reading. As the complaint progresses the ability to watch
television and to drive safely will be impaired. Sometimes
AMD affects one eye more than the other and so people can
often cope for quite a while before it becomes disabling.
|
|
|
The exact cause of this complaint is unknown but a healthy
life style without smoking and having a good diet will reduce
the risk of it occurring.
|
|
|
There is no treatment for Dry ARMD, although high dose multivitamin combination has been shown to decrease the risk of visual loss from ARMD over 5 years in high risk patients.
There are a few treatment options for Wet ARMD although the best outcomes occur when this disease is detected early. These are thermal laser, Photodynamic Therapy, newer injections to new blood vessel growth called anti-VEGFs, or combinations of these. Not all patients will be candidates for these treatments, and treatment may not prevent further vision loss.
|
|
|
Early reporting of new distortion or blurriness should be reported and referred to an ophthalmologist. The earlier the disease is detected, the more likely it will be amenable to treatment, and the loss of vision will be lessened. The earliest inkling is distortion of straight lines, making a grid pattern appear like this:
 |
It is important to consult with an eye specialist
if this should occur because laser treatment can sometimes
slow down the rate of loss of vision.
|
|
|
Stronger glasses only have a limited ability to improve
the vision in this complaint. Often those suffering from
advanced AMD require special magnifying devices, which are
either available from Optometrists or special low visual
aid clinics which are often attached to the Eye Department
in larger hospitals.
|
|
It is important to have good lighting, preferably a reflector
reading lamp, when doing close work.
Continue doing as much reading as you can, you cannot “save
your eyes” by avoiding reading, sewing etc. There is
a wide range of support services available to help those
with AMD. The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind
gives helpful advice.
It is important to emphasise however that those with
this complaint never become totally blind.
|
|
‘The challenge of Macular Degeneration” by Hui
Sun and Jeremy Nathans
Scientific American October 2001 page 60
|
|
For other information contact
www.rnzfb.org.nz
www.retinanz.org.nz
www.amdalliance.org
www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.htm
http://www.goodhope.org.uk/departments/eyedept/armd%20pathol.htm
|
