"Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a medical condition which may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field."
This topic covers the most common eye conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye.
Anatomy of the Eye: Understanding the different parts of the eye and their functions.
Refraction and Accommodation: The mechanisms by which the eye focuses light onto the retina and adjusts to varying distances.
Eye Diseases: Overview of different diseases and disorders that can affect the eye, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
Visual Acuity: Measurement of how well the eye is able to see, including common methods like Snellen charts and visual field tests.
Eye Glasses and Contact Lenses: The different types of corrective lenses available for vision correction, including their pros and cons.
Eye Injuries: First aid and emergency procedures for common eye injuries, such as scratches or foreign objects in the eye.
Eye Surgery: Procedures to correct vision problems and various eye conditions, such as LASIK, cataract surgery, and cornea transplant.
Diabetic Eye Disease: Secondary eye problems that can arise as a result of diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.
Pediatrics and Vision: Developmental vision problems and treatments for children, including screening and diagnosis methods.
Eye Infections: Types of eye infections and their symptoms, including conjunctivitis and blepharitis.
Optic Nerve Disorders: Conditions that affect the optic nerve, such as optic neuritis and optic atrophy.
Color Blindness: Types of color blindness and how they affect vision.
Vision Therapy Exercises: Vision exercises designed to improve vision and alleviate eye strain and discomfort.
Dry Eye Syndrome: Symptoms, causes, and treatments for dry eyes.
Low Vision: A discussion on low vision and its causes and consequences, as well as treatments and visual aids available.
Myopia: It is a common refractive error where the images of distant objects are focused in front of the retina instead of on the retina.
Hyperopia: It is another type of refractive error where images of nearby objects are focused behind the retina.
Presbyopia: It is an age-related condition where the natural lens of the eye becomes less flexible and results in difficulty in focusing on near objects.
Astigmatism: This happens when the cornea has an uneven shape, leading to distorted or blurred vision.
Cataracts: It occurs when the natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy, leading to blurry vision and reduced color perception.
Glaucoma: It is a group of diseases that affect the optic nerve and can cause permanent vision loss if left untreated. It is often associated with high intraocular pressure.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): This is a progressive disease affecting the macula of the eye that leads to a gradual loss of central vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy: This occurs in people with diabetes and is a result of damage to blood vessels in the retina, leading to decreased vision or even blindness.
Dry Eye Syndrome: It is a condition in which the eyes lack sufficient tears, causing discomfort, and blurred vision.
Color Vision Deficiency: This is a hereditary condition where a person has difficulty in distinguishing different colors because of a defect in the cone cells of the retina.
Amblyopia: Also known as "lazy eye," it occurs when the brain ignores (suppresses) the visual signals from one eye, leading to reduced vision in that eye.
Strabismus: It is a condition where both eyes are not aligned correctly, leading to double vision or suppression of one eye.
Conjunctivitis: Commonly known as "pink eye," it occurs due to inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva (the clear tissue covering the white part of the eye).
Blepharitis: It is a condition where the eyelids become inflamed, leading to redness, irritation, and crusting of eyelashes.
Uveitis: This is an inflammation of the uvea (the middle layer of the eye) and can cause severe pain, light sensitivity, and decreased vision.
"Early on there are often no symptoms. Over time, however, some people experience a gradual worsening of vision that may affect one or both eyes."
"While it does not result in complete blindness, loss of central vision can make it hard to recognize faces, drive, read, or perform other activities of daily life."
"Macular degeneration typically occurs in older people, and is caused by damage to the macula of the retina. Genetic factors and smoking may play a role."
"The condition is diagnosed through a complete eye exam."
"Severity is divided into early, intermediate, and late types. The late type is additionally divided into 'dry' and 'wet' forms, with the dry form making up 90% of cases."
"Those with dry form AMD have drusen, cellular debris in their macula that gradually damages light-sensitive cells and leads to vision loss. In wet form AMD, blood vessels grow under the macula, causing blood and fluid to leak into the retina."
"Exercising, eating well, and not smoking may reduce the risk of macular degeneration."
"There is no cure or treatment that restores the vision already lost."
"In the wet form, anti-VEGF medication injected into the eye or, less commonly, laser coagulation or photodynamic therapy may slow worsening."
"Dietary antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids do not appear to affect the onset; however, dietary supplements may slow the progression in those who already have the disease."
"Age-related macular degeneration is a main cause of central blindness among the working-aged population worldwide. As of 2020, it affects more than 190 million people globally with the prevalence expected to increase to 288 million people by 2040 as the proportion of elderly persons in the population increases."
"It affects males and females equally, and it is more common in those of European or North American ancestry."
"In 2013, it was the fourth most common cause of blindness, after cataracts, preterm birth, and glaucoma."
"In the United States, it is the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of fifty."
"About 0.4% of people between 50 and 60 have the disease, while it occurs in 0.7% of people 60 to 70, 2.3% of those 70 to 80, and nearly 12% of people over 80 years old."