Age Related Macular Degeneration Pictures & Other Info
Macular Degeneration is a serious eye disorder that affects a person’s central vision but not his or her peripheral vision. It generally strikes older people and is known as ARMD. Age Related Macular Degeneration pictures and other information can be found online at many informative websites. Printed brochures and booklets visually explaining the disease are always available in the waiting rooms of Ophthalmologists and Optometrists.
When ARMD strikes, it attacks the macula which is found in back of the retina. This is where sharp and clear vision is produced. With wet ARMD, abnormal blood vessels leak into the macula’s tissue and results in serious scarring. The disease gradually progresses over the years (in dry ARMD) but can occur quickly (in wet ARMD). Even at its most advanced stages, vision will probably remain somewhat intact. However, the patient will not be able to easily recognize faces, read clearly, or drive a motor vehicle. The condition itself causes no pain so it often goes undiagnosed for many years.
Elderly people almost always have some form of ARMD and it tends to get much worse as time goes by. Not only age, but family history, is a contributing factor in getting the disease. Other risks that add to the likelihood of getting ARMD are smoking, being overweight, too much time in direct sunlight and having high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Most people who have ARMD have the less serious dry form. With dry ARMD, most likely there will be no complete loss of central vision. But, it can progress into the advanced stage and become wet ARMD which is much more serious. It appears that very few people (less than 10% of those with dry ARMD) ever reach the advanced stage. But even with dry ARMD, substantial vision loss will occur.
Age Related Macular Degeneration pictures and additional information that can be found online are excellent sources to review. By visually seeing what actually occurs in the eye as the disease progresses helps the patient understand how important it is to seek treatment. And, if these pictures are blurry, then it gives the patient that much more incentive to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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