Macular Degeneration

Risk Factors Types Treatments Find a Doctor Related Services

Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of vision loss in people over age 50 in developed nations, occurring when the central part of your retina, called the macula, is damaged. AMD can cause central vision loss and thus an inability to see fine details, read, drive, or recognize faces, though peripheral (side) vision remains normal despite the development of AMD.

Risk Factors

The primary risk factors for AMD include:

  • A family history of AMD

  • Smoking

  • Being over the age of 50

  • A diet high in saturated fat (found in foods like meat, butter and cheese)

  • Obesity

  • Caucasian (white) race

Treatments

Dry AMD: Currently, there is no effective therapy available to treat this form of the disease, although people with dry macular degeneration may benefit from certain nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals. A large study found that people may slow dry AMD by taking the following daily:

  • Vitamin C (500 mg)

  • Vitamin E (400 IU)

  • Lutein (10 mg)

  • Zeaxanthin (2 mg)

  • Zinc (80 mg)

  • Copper (2 mg)

Wet AMD: Although there is no permanent cure for this form of AMD, there are a number of available treatment options that can significantly slow the progression of vision loss in the form of medications that are injected into the eye with a microsurgical needle with minimal discomfort and can block the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the macula.

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