Age-Related Macular Degeneration – Symptoms And Treatment

Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible loss of vision. It happens due to gradual deterioration of the central portion of the Retina, called the Macula. It’s called Age-Related Macular Degeneration because it develops with age. Smoking is a known risk factor causing AMD. There are also chances that this can be passed through genes. Let’s go through the symptoms of AMD, so we can prevent it in its early stage.

Blurred vision- Macular degeneration

The first symptom is blurred vision with a dim, blurry spot in the middle of the vision. If ignored, this spot gets bigger with time. Vision can also become fuzzy, where straight lines appear distorted. There will also be difficulty reading and driving. So, if you find these symptoms in your vision, we suggest you visit your doctor for a checkup.

Change of Colours

It is a rare case but is also a symptom of Macular Degeneration. In this case, the perception levels of the eyes change and transmit varied colours than that of the original. If this is observed, it is a symptom of AMD. Please seek immediate medical attention for your eyes.

How is diagnosed?

Just a routine eye exam is enough to spot this in the eye. One of the most common signs of Macular degeneration is the presence of yellow spots under the Retina. These are visible to the naked eye and can be examined easily by a trained doctor. There is also another approach that doctors use, and that is by asking you to look at an Amsler grid, which is a checkerboard with patterns of straight lines. If the lines look wavy, it is a symptom of Macular Degeneration. This is diagnosed with a procedure called Fundus fluorescein Angiography, where a dye is injected into the veins and its flow through the blood vessels of the Retina and Choroid is observed for any leaks in the Macular area. Similarly, there is a test called Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which provides an optical section of the Retina and Choroid. It is important to detect this in its early stage since there are treatments that can delay and reduce its severity. We always suggest that people in the age group of 40-54 must have their eyes examined regularly for any problems in the eyesight. As stated, there are several ways to treat Macular Degeneration, and being one of the leading Eye hospitals in Hyderabad, we can proudly say that the doctors we have at Maxivision are skilled and experienced to the highest degree. They maintain the best connection with every patient they treat. So, if you ever feel any discomfort in your vision, make sure to drop by at our hospitals to get your eyes diagnosed.