The Eyes Have It: Macular Degeneration

Did you know that Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in the population over 50?  It is estimated that 2% of the population between the age of 50 and 59, and about 30% of persons over 75 years of age are affected by it. 

What is Macular Degeneration?  Simply put, it is the gradual vision change that can create a blur in the small central area of the retina that maintains your sharpest vision.

This change occurs quite gradually, so many people do not realize the deterioration or loss until it is too late.  Once the vision loss has occurred, it cannot be reversed.

Before I describe the condition further, there is a simple test you can do on a regular basis to monitor your vision for such changes.  It is called the Amsler Grid.  It was developed by Marc Amsler, a Swiss ophthalmologist, and has been used successfully since 1945.

Here is how you can do this simple test at home:

1. Cover your left eye, and focus on the dot in the center of the grid with your right eye.  Do all the squares in the vicinity of the dot look the same?
2. Repeat step 1 with your right eye covered and focus on the dot in the center of the grid with your left eye.  Do all the squares in the vicinity of the dot look the same?

If any of the lines appear wavy, or distorted, or missing – go and get your eyes examined by a professional immediately for a proper diagnosis and to receive prompt treatment to prevent further deterioration.

Here is an example of the distortion seen by someone with vision problems due to Macular Degeneration:

Besides aging, the most prevalent factors to cause this condition are smoking and genetics.  Prevention includes not smoking, exercising, and eating well. 

The sooner this condition is diagnosed, steps can be taken to prevent further deterioration of your eyesight.  This condition may not result in complete blindness, however, loss of central vision will certainly affect your ability to read, drive, recognize faces, or other essential activities tied to vision. 

As stated earlier, there is no cure or treatment that will return vision that has already been lost.  So, the best thing to do is to put a reminder on your calendar on the same date every month to pull up that Amsler grid and perform a self-test.  I’ve set a recurring alarm on my electronic calendar for the 15^th of every month to remind me and family members to take this simple test.

Better safe, than sorry.

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