Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey

Michigan's Leading Eye Care Physicians

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Grosinger Spigelman Grey Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness for adults over 60 years of age, affecting approximately 11 million Americans. One of the first things you may see is blurring of your vision. AMD damages the macula, which is the area of the retina responsible for central vision. There are two types of AMD: wet AMD which has bleeding, and dry AMD which does not. While neither condition can be cured, there are treatments available to help. Contact Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey to schedule an appointment for evaluation.

Macular Degeneration Facts

Age-related macular degeneration, also known as AMD, is a common eye condition. It is the primary cause of vision loss in adults over the age of 50. It happens when the central area in the retina deteriorates. At first, most patients experience no vision loss. That will change as the patient progresses into later stages of AMD.

What do you need to know about this common condition?

  • AMD is not curable. That is why it is so important to stay healthy and have regular comprehensive eye exams to watch for signs of this disease.
  • Significant vision loss is usually not noticed until late stage AMD. You could have the disease and not know it.
  • Caucasians are more likely to develop AMD than Hispanic/Latinos or African Americans.
  • Smoking will double your risk of AMD. It is best to avoid this habit altogether or quit if you currently smoke.
  • If your family has a history of AMD, then you have a higher risk of developing the condition.
  • While it is rare, there is a form of macular degeneration that can affect children and teens. This type is known as Stargardt Disease and is caused by a recessive gene.
  • Tests are available that can detect the presence of AMD before symptoms appear.
  • Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, eating a nutritious diet, and regular exercise are believed to lower the risk of AMD.

Have You Been Checked for Macular Degeneration?

If you haven’t been checked for macular degeneration, now is the time to do so. Even if you aren’t in the highest risk age group or you have experienced no changes in sight, you should still have an ophthalmologist examine your eyes. Contact Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey located in Bloomfield Hills to make an appointment.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration Month Reminds Us to Protect Our Vision

Eye Michigan Age Related Macular Degeneration February 2018

February brings us another reason to take better care of our eyesight. Age-Related Macular Degeneration Month was designed to spread awareness of a common problem. This condition is the leading cause of vision loss among patients over age 60 in the United States. Nearly 11 million people throughout the country are affected. That statistic is projected to grow to almost 22 million over the next 30 years.

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, describes a damaged macula, which is part of the retina. There are two different types. The first is dry AMD. This is the most common type, making up around 80% of all cases. Dry AMD happens when the macula thins as a person ages. Drusen, or tiny clumps of protein, start to grow, causing central vision loss. There is currently no treatment available for this condition.

The second type is wet AMD. While it isn’t as common, it is more serious than the dry version. Abnormal blood vessels may begin to grow underneath the retina. If they leak, they can cause macula scarring. Loss of sight happens much faster with wet AMD. Patients often do not realize what’s occurring until their vision is very blurry.

Symptoms of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Patients who are in the early stages of age-related macular degeneration may notice no signs that anything is wrong. The first symptom reported is usually a change in vision quality or the appearance of straight lines that look distorted. This can eventually become a significant loss of central vision.

Protecting Yourself from Age-Related Macular Degeneration

The best way to protect yourself from age-related macular degeneration is to live a healthy lifestyle and schedule regular ophthalmologist appointments. Keeping your doctor up to date will ensure that changes are discovered as early as possible. Contact Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey Michigan’s Leading Eye Care Physicians today to schedule a comprehensive, dilated exam.

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What is Macular Degeneration?

eye michigan what is macular degeneration

Macular degeneration is a major cause of vision loss that affects over 10 million Americans. In this article, we will break down the two types of macular degeneration. As a degenerative ailment, macular degeneration is more common in those over 40 years of age.

Considered an incurable eye disease, macular degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the center potion of the retina called the macula. This part of the retina is the back layer of the eye used to record the light that we see. This light is sent to the brain via the optic nerve where it is interpreted.

The Types of Macular Degeneration

The macula is the most sensitive area of the eye as it receives the images at the center of a person’s field of vision. When the macula begins to deteriorate vision becomes blurred rapidly. There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and dry. The vast majority (around 90%) of macular degeneration cases are the dry type, while the remaining 10% or so are the wet type.

Dry age related macular degeneration does not involve any leakage of serum or blood from the eye, however, a loss of vision may still occur, while wet macular degeneration involves the loss of blood or serum as well as a more rapid loss of vision.

Patients with the dry form may have good central vision but may have other limitations such as difficulty with reading, fluctuating vision, difficulty seeing at night, and other impairments.

The early stages of dry macular degeneration are usually associated with only minimal vision disruption. To have your eyes checked for macular degeneration, please call the Eye Michigan team of eye care experts at (248) 221-1022 to schedule an appointment. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit us online today.

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