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Maintaining healthy vision is one of the most critical aspects of day-to-day life. While the science behind various eye diseases improves with each passing year, there are certain eye conditions that we should all know about — especially as we get older.
Of these, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most important. Keep on reading as we cover everything you need to know about this common eye disease, from causes to symptoms to treatment.
Impacting millions of people worldwide, individuals over the age of 75 have a 30% chance of developing age-related macular degeneration. Those afflicted with this condition experience changes in the macula — the center of the retina — and may develop blind spots or blurred vision as a result.
Because of its generally slow progression, macular degeneration can be difficult to notice until symptoms are severe. Unfortunately, most patients don’t realize that they have developed the disease until they are in the intermediate or advanced stages.
The following symptoms could be signs of AMD:
Experiencing any of the above symptoms should prompt medical attention, though regular eye check-ups can detect macular degeneration before symptoms occur.
There is no consensus regarding precisely what causes macular degeneration, but evidence shows adults over age 60 are at the highest risk. Other risk factors include:
While there is no cure for age-related macular degeneration, we do have treatments to halt or at least slow the process of vision loss.
Common treatments include:
Researchers are always looking for more ways to help those with macular degeneration, but the science still has a long way to go; until then, prevention is the best solution.
References used to write this piece:
https://allabouteyes.com/need-know-macular-degeneration/
https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/macular-degeneration/age-related-macular-degeneration-overview
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-macular-degeneration/symptoms-causes/syc-20350375
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