macd

Age Related Macular Degeneration	Astigmatism	Cataracts	Contact Lenses
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TV and Vision	UV Light	Find your Nearest Optometrist	Children's Vision Campaign


Age Related Macular Degeneration Q. What is age-related maculopathy? A. Age-related maculopathy (ARM), also known as Senile Macular Degeneration, is damage or break- down of the macula. The macula is a very small part of the retina (the light sensitive tissue of the eye) which is responsible for central vision. This is the part of the retina which produces the finest detailed vision. Q. How does ARM affect vision? A. As ARM damages the part of the retina responsible for central vision and for seeing fine detail, it becomes difficult to see small details of objects. Vision to the sides is not affected. If both eyes are affected, reading and other tasks requiring fine vision may become very difficult. ARM does not cause blindness. Since some side vision remains, people can usually still take care of themselves. Q. What causes ARM? A. ARM is a result of ageing processes in the eye. Some of the layers of the retina thicken, and waste material which is usually removed from the retina forms deposits, distorting the retina. This distortion can then cause damage to the other layers of the retina. In some cases (about 10 per cent) new blood vessels grow into the macula from beneath. These newly formed vessels are fragile, and often leak blood into the retina, where it causes scar tissue to form. This scarring blocks out central vision to a severe degree. There are also some other forms of macular degeneration which are inherited, and not associated with ageing. Q. How common is ARM? A. ARM mainly affects older people: around four per cent of those over 40 years old, nine per cent of those over 50, 23 per cent of those over 65 and 31 per cent of those aged over 80 years. Men and women are equally affected by ARM. ARM accounts for up to 45 percent of legal blindness, and up to70 per cent of seriously impaired vision in people over the age of 70 years. Q. How is ARM detected and diagnosed? A. People with ARM may notice that their vision has deteriorated. Many patients do not realise that they have a problem until their vision becomes blurred. Optometrists perform a number of tests in an examination which enable them to detect the presence of ARM in the early stages. The optometrist examines the macula carefully with an instrument called an ophthalmoscope, which allows him or her to examine the interior of the eye. Sometimes the optometrist may place a drop in the eye to dilate the pupil, in order to get a better view of the internal structures. Through the ophthalmoscope the optometrist will look for changes in the structure of the macula, such as accumulations of waste material, or new blood vessels. Another test which may be used is a grid pattern known as an Amsler chart. This is a regular grid, which looks like a piece of graph paper. Patients with ARM will often report that sections of the grid appear
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Q. What is age-related maculopathy?
A. Age-related maculopathy (ARM), also known as Senile Macular Degeneration, is damage or break- down of the macula. The macula is a very small part of the retina (the light sensitive tissue of the eye) which is responsible for central vision. This is the part of the retina which produces the finest detailed vision.

Q. How does ARM affect vision?
A. As ARM damages the part of the retina responsible for central vision and for seeing fine detail, it becomes difficult to see small details of objects. Vision to the sides is not affected. If both eyes are affected, reading and other tasks requiring fine vision may become very difficult. ARM does not cause blindness. Since some side vision remains, people can usually still take care of themselves.

Q. What causes ARM?
A. ARM is a result of ageing processes in the eye. Some of the layers of the retina thicken, and waste material which is usually removed from the retina forms deposits, distorting the retina. This distortion can then cause damage to the other layers of the retina. In some cases (about 10 per cent) new blood vessels grow into the macula from beneath. These newly formed vessels are fragile, and often leak blood into the retina, where it causes scar tissue to form. This scarring blocks out central vision to a severe degree. There are also some other forms of macular degeneration which are inherited, and not associated with ageing.

Q. How common is ARM?
A. ARM mainly affects older people: around four per cent of those over 40 years old, nine per cent of those over 50, 23 per cent of those over 65 and 31 per cent of those aged over 80 years. Men and women are equally affected by ARM. ARM accounts for up to 45 percent of legal blindness, and up to70 per cent of seriously impaired vision in people over the age of 70 years.

Q. How is ARM detected and diagnosed?
A. People with ARM may notice that their vision has deteriorated. Many patients do not realise that they have a problem until their vision becomes blurred. Optometrists perform a number of tests in an examination which enable them to detect the presence of ARM in the early stages.

The optometrist examines the macula carefully with an instrument called an ophthalmoscope, which allows him or her to examine the interior of the eye. Sometimes the optometrist may place a drop in the eye to dilate the pupil, in order to get a better view of the internal structures. Through the ophthalmoscope the optometrist will look for changes in the structure of the macula, such as accumulations of waste material, or new blood vessels. Another test which may be used is a grid pattern known as an Amsler chart. This is a regular grid, which looks like a piece of graph paper. Patients with ARM will often report that sections of the grid appear