What is age-related macular degeneration?
What is the macula?
The macula is an area of only a few square millimetres in the centre of the retina - the so-called "place of sharpest vision". It is responsible for the most important visual functions: reading, face recognition, colour perception, etc.
What are the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration?
An intensive metabolism takes place in the macula, which can be impaired with age, especially when smoking and high blood pressure. This can lead to deposits of metabolic waste products in the macula. As a result, one's vision may become blurred or distorted in the middle of the field of vision, or a dark spot may be perceived. These functional limitations are typical for advanced age-related macular degeneration, or "AMD" for short.
What are the causes of age-related macular degeneration?
As the name suggests, macular degeneration is "age-dependent", with a statistically proven frequency from the age of 60. The causes of this disease are not yet fully understood. Besides smoking and high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, dietary habits, environmental and hereditary factors also play a role. There are two known forms of AMD - "dry" (80%-85% of cases) and "wet" (15%-20% of cases). In the "dry" form, yellowish deposits (lipofuscin) form under the retina (drusen). The visual function is only slightly restricted.
In the late stage of dry AMD, central visual acuity deteriorates significantly with the death of retinal cells. Dry macular degeneration (as opposed to wet macular degeneration) usually progresses slowly and unnoticed. In "wet" AMD, new blood vessels are formed under the retina as a result of circulatory disorders and lack of oxygen. The newly formed vessels leak, causing retinal swelling (macular edema) or macular hemorrhage. These processes are perceived by patients as sudden and dramatic loss of vision.
Which therapy is used today for age-related macular degeneration?
The therapeutic care includes an exact ophthalmological diagnosis and, if necessary, the planning of a drug injection into the vitreous cavity. The following procedures are possible during the ophthalmological examination: reflection of the fundus of the eye with a magnifying glass, Amsler grid test, examination by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT), dye examination (fluorescence angiography). On the basis of the results, a therapy plan is designed or a detailed consultation for prevention and prophylaxis is carried out.
