Macular Degeneration is a breakdown of the macula—the small area lining the inside back of the eye that allows us to see straight ahead. The macula is used for seeing fine details and is important for reading, writing, threading a needle, or driving. Macular degeneration can make any activity that involves fine detail difficult or impossible. Macular degeneration is one of the most common problems associated aging affecting more that 1 in 10 people over 70 years of age. TWO FORMS OF MACULAR DEGENERATION The “dry” type is the most common causing gradual vision loss over several years. SYMPTOMS OF DRY - Printed words appear increasingly blurry - Colors appear less bright - Recognizing faces becomes more difficult - Overall vision becomes increasingly hazy - A blurred or blind spot in the center of vision appears, and the sharpness of central vision decreases dramatically - Scanning eyes all around an object becomes necessary to provide a more complete image SYMPTOMS OF WET - Vision becomes distorted — straight lines appear wavy or crooked, objects appear farther away than they are - Central vision is decreased or lost - A blurry spot appears in the center of vision However, one out of six people that have the dry kind will convert to the “wet” kind, which can cause severe vision loss in a short time, often just a few weeks. Fortunately, vision loss can often be limited if wet macular degeneration is caught and treated quickly. DIAGNOSIS People with macular degeneration may notice rapid onset of symptoms, slight symptoms that progress gradually, or no symptoms at all. Physicians may decide to test for the disease based on family history and any symptoms the patient is experiencing. A thorough eye examination is performed in which the physician looks for abnormalities in the back of the eye, in a portion of the retina called the macula. Read more about diagnosis of macular degeneration. VARIOUS TREATMENTS Shoreline Vision offers the latest treatments for patients with macular degeneration, including a new injectable drug therapy. The goal of these treatments is to preserve current eyesight and prevent future vision loss.