Macular Degeneration

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Macular degeneration, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 and older. It is a disease that destroys your sharp, central vision. You need central vision to see objects clearly and to do tasks such as reading and driving.

AMD affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. It does not hurt, but it causes cells in the macula to die. There are two types: wet and dry. Wet AMD happens when abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula. These new blood vessels often leak blood and fluid. Wet AMD damages the macula quickly. Blurred vision is a common early symptom. Dry AMD happens when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down. Your gradually lose your central vision. A common early symptom is that straight lines appear crooked.

Regular comprehensive eye exams can detect macular degeneration before the disease causes vision loss. Treatment can slow vision loss. It does not restore vision.

NIH: National Eye Institute

Start Here

• Age-related Macular Degeneration (National Eye Institute)
• What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration? (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Dilating Eye Drops (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Macular Degeneration Prevention and Risk Factors (BrightFocus Foundation) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Choosing Wisely When It Comes to Eye Care: Antibiotics for Eye Injections (American Academy of Ophthalmology)
• What the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies Mean for You (AREDS2) (National Eye Institute)

Living With

• Diet and Nutrition (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Dry Macular Degeneration (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Wet Macular Degeneration (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: age-related macular degeneration (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Stargardt macular degeneration (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

• Macular degeneration (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• Blood Pressure Drugs and AMD (American Academy of Ophthalmology)
• NIH Study Provides Clarity on Supplements for Protection Against Blinding Eye Disease (National Eye Institute)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Macular Degeneration (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: The role of lipocalin-2 in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Article: Senescence in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.
• Article: Epigenetics in age-related macular degeneration: new discoveries and future perspectives.
• Macular Degeneration -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Diagram of the Eye (National Eye Institute) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• American Optometric Association
• Find Services for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired (American Foundation for the Blind)
• National Eye Institute

Children

• Stargardt Disease (Foundation Fighting Blindness)

Patient Handouts

• Fluorescein angiography (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Home vision tests (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Intravitreal injection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Macular degeneration - age-related (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish