Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)A few number of eye diseases which affect our central vision form the focal point of Macular degeneration in humans. The National Eye Institute calls it the primary cause of excessive loss of vision for people who are over the age of sixty-five and older with a special emphasis on Caucasian people, who are the primary target of AMD. The disease also occurs more in women as compared to men. Dry Macular degeneration is often also referred to as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) due to the fact that it tends to largely affect those at an older age. It seems that advancing age is one of the chief propagators. Studies have shown that people over the age of 65 or more have the maximum risk in developing age-related macular degeneration. According to The National Eye Institute the United States has more than thirteen million people who show symptoms of developing macular degeneration. Factors for age-related macular degeneration An extensive study conducted in 1997 by scientists associated with The National Cancer Institute's Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center in Maryland have found that there may be a genetic component to age-related macular degeneration. Being the government's main outfit on vision research, The National Eye Institute asserts that research conducted so far indicates the following factors to be considered as leading risks for age-related macular degeneration. · Being obese or extremely overweight · Being of Caucasian ethnicity · Being female · Having smoking as part of your family history · Having high blood cholesterol · Any presence of cardiovascular disease · Hypertension or high blood pressure · Being farsighted · Having eyes which are light in color Symptoms of age-related macular degeneration Dry Macular degeneration tends to affect the macula, which is the central area of our retina which allows us to view things which are fine, sharp and detailed straight ahead in front of us. Our retina consists of light-sensitive tissue which transmits visual images through our nerve impulses to our brain via the optic nerve where it is deciphered into an image we can see. Literally millions of light-sensitive photo cells make up the macula, which help in providing us with central vision we need when we are reading, driving, or doing work like sewing where we need to see things from up close. As our macula begins to degenerate, our central vision slowly gets more blurred and unclear. It becomes more difficult to read, and letters appear distorted, we need more light to see stuff, and we have reduced colored vision along with loss in ability to view things in fine detail. These are the classic symptoms of age-related macular degeneration. It is important to note that though our peripheral, vision does not get affected due to age-related macular degeneration generally, and there are but a few who go completely blind from age-related macular degeneration, the disease can seriously get in the way of our daily activities due to the loss of detail in our central vision. |