|
|
+ Larger Font / - Smaller Font Age Related Macular Degeneration Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) has become the leading cause of vision loss in individuals over 60 years of age. This disease blurs the sharp, central vision that affects ones ability to read, sew, or drive. It is thought that photoreceptors of the macula do not receive enough oxygen from the choriocapillaris. This results in damage and death of photoreceptors and the pigment epithelium. Deposits can then form called drusen. This is the dry form of AMD. Individuals can have vision loss but it doesn't generally cause total blindness. Patients may or may not manifest symptoms early in this disease. Check out the videos from The National Eye Institute that illustrates how AMD effects the retina. Symptoms generally include dimming of vision and distortion of objects, like telephone poles becoming wavy. At any stage, AMD can progress to the wet form suddenly. This is the most severe of the two and can cause significant vision loss treated early. The photoreceptors and pigment epithelium can send out distress signals to the choriocapillaris because there is a need for more oxygen. When this happens, new vessels are formed with defective walls that tend to leak and bleed. This can cause significant scarring, edema, and leakage into the retina. Generally it affects one eye but there is a 50% chance over five years of this disease occurring in the 2nd eye. Symptoms: A dark area or a "white-out" appears in the center of vision Blurred or fuzzy vision Color perception fades or changes Straight lines, such as sentences on a page or telephone poles, appear wavy or distorted.
Risk Factors for both forms include: Advancing age Heredity Smoking Obesity Caucasian and Female Treatments for both forms of AMD: Unfortunately there is no cure for AMD; however there are treatments and lifestyle changes that may delay the progression of this disease. Lifestyle Changes: Avoid excessive sunlight, maintain physical fitness, avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption, eat a diet rich in vegetables, fresh fruit and fish, reduce the amount of fats and red meats in the diet, take supplements such as Vitamins C, E, Selenium, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and beta carotene. (Zinc is the most important supplement.) Supplements for eye care are available over the counter. For wet AMD: Laser surgery, which results in aiming a high-energy beam of light directly into the defective vessels and destroying them. Photodynamic therapy, where a drug is injected in a vein and sticks to the surface of the new vessels. When a specific light is shined into the back of the eye for about 90 seconds, it activates and destroys the defective vessles. Macugen, injected directly into the vitreous, is a VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) inhibitor. When the pigment epithelium becomes stressed, it sends ou the distress signal. This signal results in the body increasing VEGF, which stimulates the growth of defective vessels. Macugen inhibits this process and can be given every 6 weeks. Triamcinolone, injected directly into the vitreous, can reduce inflammation and edema (not FDA approved). The overall goal for AMD is to stabilize the vision and prevent further loss. Because our aging population is growing, there is a renewed interest in advancing retina treatments. Those treatments are outlined below: Future Treatments: Anti VEGF treatments: More Anti VEGF medications are being developed. A few of these products include: Lucintis and Retaane. Additional information regarding VEGF: When pigment epithelium becomes stressed, it sends out a distress signal. This signal results in the body increasing VEGF, which stimulates the growth of defective vessels. These medications stop this process. Retina Microchips: These microchips can be implanted in the back of the eye to function as an artifical retina. Stem Cell Transplantation: Stem cell is a promising option to cure retina diseases repopulating the diseased tissue. Special thanks to National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health Other Suggested Links: National Eye Institute: Age Related Macular Degeneration Information Macular Degeneration Network AMD.org Prevent Blindness America AMD Alliance International Alliance for Aging Research West Texas Retina Consultants Sunil S. Patel, M.D., Ph.D. S. Young Lee, M.D. 5441 Health Center Dr. Abilene, Texas 79606 800-810-7411 325-673-9806 info@westtexasretina.com |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Copyright 2005.West Texas Retina Consultants . All rights reserved ::: Productions by Sky Web Works ::: |
|