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Article

Can you stop your vision failing?

HAVE YOU NOTICED YOUR eyesight deteriorating? Maybe you suffer with blurry vision or have difficulty adjusting to very bright conditions?

If so, you could be suffering from macular degeneration which affects people over the age of 60 but can also develop in those in their forties and fifties.

Age-related macular degeneration (also known as AMD) is a progressive condition which affects a small part of the retina at the back of your eye called the macula. The resulting problems of AMD include distorted or blurry central vision, sensitivity to light and may affect one or both eyes. The impact it has on your eyesight means looking directly at something – such as a newspaper or the television – becomes extremely difficult to see clearly. Over a period of time, your slightly blurry or distorted vision will develop a ‘blank spot’ in your central vision.

How AMD affects your vision

There are two types of Age-related Macula Degeneration. There is ‘wet’ (neovascular) or ‘dry’ (non-neovascular). About 10% of those who suffer from macular degeneration have wet AMD. This type occurs when new vessels form to improve the blood supply to oxygen-deprived tissue in the retina. However, the new vessels break easily, causing bleeding and damage to the cells of the macula.

The most common is ‘dry’ macula degeneration, gradual deterioration of cells over years. This form of AMD is marked by ‘drusen’ which are small deposits of damaged cell waste within the retina and prevent the flow of healthy nutrients to the retina and macula – vital for seeing any detail. AMD does not affect peripheral vision or lead to total blindness.