Age-Related Macular Degeneration

What You Should Know About Age Related Macular Degeneration

Age related macular degeneration is a disease occurring in older people, which takes the central vision, but not the peripheral vision. It usually affects both eyes symmetrically, although one eye may be worse for a period. The target for the disease is the macula, the central part of the retina, which enables reading vision. The retina is the lining of nerve tissue at the back of the eye. Figure 1 identifies these parts of the eye

Figure 1. Anatomy of the human eye

Two Types of Macular Degeneration
The two types of macular degeneration include dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration is much more common. In this condition, waste products from the retinal cells build up as yellow material under the retina. The retinal cells sitting on top of this waste material begin to die. The decrease in number of retinal cells causes patches of visual loss to develop. While looking at a word, for example, letters may begin to drop out of view. The waste material forms lumpy mounds under the macula, causing straight lines to look wavy. Dry macular degeneration takes vision slowly over many years. Figure 2a shows the inside of a healthy eye and Figure 2b shows an eye with dry macular degeneration

In wet macular degeneration, the blood vessels beneath the retina, which make up the choroid, begin to grow into the accumulated waste material. These blood vessels are abnormal and begin to leak serum, to bleed, and to incite scar tissue growth. All of these changes cause the overlying cells of the macula to die with loss of central vision. Wet macular degeneration takes vision rapidly. Figure 3 shows an eye with wet macular degeneration.

Causes of Macular Degeneration
The exact causes of macular degeneration are unknown, but research is underway to identify them. At present, we know that there are risk factors for macular degeneration and protective factors against it, but we do not know how they work. Some risk factors include having a family history of the disease, smoking, high blood pressure, and blue iris color. Some protective factors include being African-American, and maintaining a diet high in vitamin A, vegetable fat, green vegetables, and fish.

This knowledge has led to the following advice for affected patients:

1. Increase consumption of dark leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and collard greens.
2. If one is a smoker, stop.
3. If one has hypertension, control it with exercise, weight loss, and if necessary, medication.

Figure 2a. Normal Retina

Figure 2b.Dry AMD

Figure 3. Wet AMD

Use Of Vitamin Supplements
A large national research study, called the Age Related Eye Disease Study, has shown that visual loss in patients with macular degeneration is reduced by taking a supplementary multi-vitamin containing vitamins A, C, E, and the mineral zinc. This multivitamin should not be taken by current smokers or former smokers, because of evidence that vitamin A may increase the risk of lung cancer. Smokers or former smokers should take a zinc tablet daily plus a routine multi-vitamin containing copper, such as Centrum Silver.

Can Dry Macular Degeneration Change to Wet?
Yes. In fact, patients are advised to check a piece of paper with a pattern called an Amsler Grid, to help detect the change from dry to wet macular degeneration. The patient should check the Amsler grid daily, while wearing reading glasses. View the grid with one eye at a time, focusing on the dot at the center. Without searching, or looking away from the dot, ask yourself if the lines have any distortions or blurred out areas. If changes occur in what you see on this grid, you should come in for examination as a work-in patient. It is very important that you are seen promptly, so do not schedule a delayed appointment. Figure 4a shows an Amsler Grid. Figure 4b shows an example of a blurred out center of a clock caused by macular degeneration.

Treatments for Macular Degeneration
There is no treatment that cures any form of macular degeneration. Vitamin supplements have some beneficial effect in cases of dry macular degeneration. For wet macular

Figure 4b. No Central Vision

The Role of Fluorescein Angiography

All of the treatments for macular degeneration depend on accurate characterization of the disease as dry or wet. Wet cases are further subdivided into several groups, including classic, occult, mixed, and scars. These categories are defined by examining photographs taken after food coloring is injected into the patient’s vein. The pattern of the dye in the photographs of the eye helps to determine what type of treatment is preferable. Figure 5a shows an image from a normal fluorescein angiography and Figure 5b shows a fluorescein angiography of dry macular degeneration.

Final Comments
Treatments for macular degeneration are not generally going to restore vision. Their purpose is to slow the disease down or stabilize it. There is high hope that further research will result in better treatment options in the future.

Figure 5a. Normal Fluorescein Angiography

Figure 5b. Fluorescein Angiography of Dry AMD