Do You Go Blind With Macular Degeneration

Scheie eye institute university of pennsylvania.

Do you go blind with macular degeneration.

For instance a large study found that people in middle age have about a 2 percent risk of getting amd but this risk increased to nearly 30 percent in those over age 75 facts about 2009. In fact the majority of patients with age related macular degeneration maintain functional vision. The side vision lets you know what is around you. Macular degeneration alone does not cause total blindness.

Age related macular degeneration amd is caused by changes beneath the sensitive tissues that communicate with your optic nerve and allow you to see. Even in the worst cases macular degeneration only affects the central vision and leaves the peripheral vision intact. No one will ever go completely blind from macular degeneration. The patients lose their ability to take part in activities.

You will be able to walk around dress yourself and do most daily tasks. In the dry form of the disease which is the most common form the damage begins with accumulations of yellow deposits below the retina known as drusen. Although amd may occur earlier studies indicate that people over age 60 are at greater risk than those in younger age groups. Although most cases of wet macular degeneration are due to genetics there are a number of lifestyle and dietary factors that can affect the risk of developing the dry form of the eye disease.

In general if you do not take any measures of treatment of macular disease it will go blind in two years we should see a doctor as soon as possible. However although the disease may cause blindness it s not guaranteed. In the u s macular degeneration affects nearly 10 million people. When the photoreceptors in the macula degrade patients go blind.

According to chip goehring founder and president of the american macular degeneration foundation he is living proof that by eating right and taking proper preventative measures you can still keep your sight even 20 years after being diagnosed with amd. 03 13 2013 macular degeneration is a chronic disease it can cause a sharp decline in the central visual acuity and central vision is required for daily activities. Many patients are frightened of losing vision or going blind when they are told they have age related macular degeneration amd. There are several factors both controllable and uncontrollable that may put you at risk of macular degeneration.

Patients with macular degeneration lose their central vision. Amd affects only the central vision. Age related macular degeneration is a disease that affects vision due to damage to the central part of the retina. Around the macula is the retina responsible for side vision peripheral vision.

This includes reading facial recognition seeing objects in fine detail and driving.