Age related macular degeneration is a condition in which there is progressive
vision loss due to deterioration of the Retina and the Choroid.
AMD is a leading cause of visual loss in population over the age 50.
Types of AMD
There are mainly two types of AMD
Dry AMD
Wet AMD
Symptoms
In the initial stages patients may experience no symptoms but as the disease
progresses patients may experience:
Decrease in color brightness
Distortion or warping of straight lines
In advanced stages of the disease the patients may experience:
Sudden or gradual loss of central vision
Blurry areas in the central vision
Risk Factors
Age
Family history of AMD
Cigarette smoking
Caucasian Race
Sunlight Exposure
Female Gender
Cardiovascular Disease
Diet low in anti-oxidants
Prevention and Treatment
Dry AMD can be prevented by a diet rich in anti-oxidants, increasing fish intake,
there is recent evidence of incorporating saffron in diet.
Dietary supplements according to AREDS formulation having:
Leutin
zeaxanthin
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Zinc
Wet AMD can be controlled and progression can be delayed by the use of
Intravitreal injections in the eye.
Examination and Diagnosis
Your retina specialist will examine your retina by doing a dilated fundus
examination and may order the following investigations
OCT (ocular coherence tomography)
FFA(Fundus Fluorescein Angiography)
About the Author:
Dr Ali Zia is a Fellowship trained Vitreoretinal Surgeon. His areas of interest are Diabetic eye diseases,
Medical and Surgical Retina. He practices at The Eye Center- Dr. Mahnaz Naveed Shah & Associates in Karachi.
Dr. Ali Zia can be reached at The Eye Center. You can book an
appointment by contacting 03041119544. Walk in appointments and emergencies
will also be seen whenever possible. You can also request an appointment online
through our website www.surgicaleyecenter.org
Image Credit Wikipedia