Macular Degeneration

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Macular degeneration

Dry macular degeneration is a common eye disorder among people over 50. It causes blurred or reduced central vision, due to thinning of the macula (MAK-u-luh). The macula is the part of the retina responsible for clear vision in your direct line of sight.
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What is Macular Degeneration and How Do You Know if You Have It? <p> Ophthalmologist, discusses macular degeneration and its symptoms.</p>

Ophthalmologist, discusses macular degeneration and its symptoms.
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True/False - Quiz: Do You Understand Macular Degeneration?

Quiz: Do You Understand Macular Degeneration?

Test your knowledge by answering the following questions:

Questions

True

False

0

Macular degeneration occurs when the iris is damaged or begins to break down.

Explanation:

Macular degeneration occurs when the macula, which is the part of the retina that’s responsible for central vision, is damaged or begins to break down.

1

Small white or yellowish spots on the retina is a sign of dry age-related macular degeneration.

Explanation:

If you have dry age-related macular degeneration, small white or yellowish spots called form on the retina, causing the macula to deteriorate over time.

2

Leaking blood vessels under the retina is a sign of wet macular degeneration.

Explanation:

If you have wet macular degeneration, abnormal blood vessels under the retina begin to grow toward the macula, then break and leak fluid.

3

The treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration is usually an eye surgery called pars plana vitrectomy.

Explanation:

The treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration is largely related to nutritional changes, with a diet high in antioxidants to support macular health.

4

Anti-VEGF injections are not a suitable treatment for wet macular degeneration.

Explanation:

Wet macular degeneration treatments include laser photocoagulation to seal leaking blood vessels and anti-VEGF therapy injected into the eye.

Macular Degeneration and How Do You Know if You Have It?

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in North America.It affects probably about 10 percent of people over the age of 75, and so it’s the major cause of vision loss that we deal with as ophthalmologists.

There tends to be a very slow onset of distortion possibly, or just gradual diminution of vision over time. And it can be subtle. People may not even know they have it. So it is something that needs to be evaluated periodically by an ophthalmologist as you start to get older.