Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMacular DegenerationGlaucomaVision ChangesPreventionOutlookFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Macular Degeneration
Glaucoma
Vision Changes
Prevention
Outlook
Frequently Asked Questions
Vision impairment is a national health concern and has a negative impact on physical and mental health. In the United States, macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in people aged 50 and older.Glaucoma affects fewer people, but it also can lead to complete loss of vision and is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.
In dry macular degeneration, parts of the macula, which is at the center of the eye’s retina, get thinner and clumps of protein grow. Dry macular degeneration often affects both eyes.Treatment with the AREDS 2 supplementmay help slow its progression. Treatment is available if it progresses togeographic atrophy.
Although less common, wet macular degeneration is considered more serious than dry macular degeneration. In wet macular degeneration, new, abnormal blood vessels grow under theretina, which projects light onto the back of your eye. These vessels often leak blood or blood products, which scars the macula. Vision loss occurs faster than with dry macular degeneration.
Treatment is available for wet macular degeneration, and it can slow or stop the growth of blood vessels, slowing down vision loss.
Macular Degeneration: Timeline of Vision Loss Progression
Risk Factors
Certain common risk factors cannot be changed, such as a family history of macular degeneration and being White.However, lifestyle choices, such as cigarette smoking, consuming lots of high saturated fats, being overweight, and having high blood pressure, can be addressed. Managing these factors can help decrease your potential of developing dry AMD.
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The eye continually makes a fluid called aqueous humor, the clear liquid in the anterior chamber (the area between the cornea and the iris).It nourishes your eye and keeps it inflated.
As fluid drains out of the eye via the drainage angle, new fluid is made that replenishes the eye. If the drainage angle gets blocked, aqueous humor remains in the eye, and pressure increases. As the pressure in the eye rises, it compresses the optic nerve and damages it.This causes the condition known asglaucoma.
Glaucoma is categorized as either open angle glaucoma, the most common type, or angle closure glaucoma.
In open angle glaucoma, the aqueous humor drains slowly, which causes pressure to build up gradually.This type of glaucoma is typically painless, and people who have it don’t experience vision changes initially. However, people will eventually notice blind spots in their peripheral visual fields. It is often called “the thief of sight” because it has no symptoms until it affects sight.
Angle closure glaucoma occurs when theiris, the colored part of your eye, completely and suddenly blocks the drainage angle. Pressure rises quickly in this type of glaucoma, and it causes symptoms such as:
What Causes Sudden Blurry Vision?
Risk factors of glaucoma include:
Minimizing certain lifestyle choices that are strongly correlated with the development of macular degeneration can help prevent AMD. Lifestyle changes to consider include:
The Age-Related Eye Diseases Study (AREDS) indicates that specific dietary modifications, including taking specific vitamins and minerals, can slow macular degeneration.Foods to help prevent AMD include leafy green vegetables, yellow fruits and vegetables, and fish.
Ophthalmologist vs. Optometrist: What’s the Difference?
As of now, there are no surgeries or specific procedures that can cure dry AMD. There are options available to assist people living with the condition, however. Low-vision tools, such as magnifying tools and handheld computers, can be helpful. Low-vision techniques, like using high-lumen light sources, reducing glare, and increasing contrast can also help compensate for central vision loss.
A vision rehabilitation specialist can provide you with techniques to leverage your peripheral vision to be able to read, shop, and even cook. They can also determine other services that may be helpful, such as mobility services or performing home assessments to minimize hazards and injury risk.
People with glaucoma can also benefit from a consultation with a low-vision specialist. To address glare and light sensitivity, they can used negative contrast on computers or glare-reducing filters. As vision loss progresses, they can use assistive technologies such as screen readers or the accessibility functions on smartphones.
People with glaucoma do have some medications and procedures available to help prevent vision loss. Eye drops can be prescribed. They can either decrease aqueous humor production or help assist aqueous fluid drain through the drainage angle. The ultimate goal is to decrease eye pressure and prevent optic nerve damage.
People who have glaucoma may be eligible for laser surgery. These procedures, often done in an ophthalmologist’s office or a same-day surgery center, allow the ophthalmologist to widen the drainage angle to assist with better draining of the aqueous humor.In the case of angle closure glaucoma, the laser surgery can be used to create a tiny hole in the iris to allow the aqueous humor to drain through the drainage angle.
Glaucoma Surgery: What You Need to Know for Treatment Success
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma both affect your eyes, but they do so in different ways. There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet AMD. Both can cause central vision loss, but peripheral or side vision is usually not affected. On the other hand, glaucoma can cause complete vision loss.
There are limited treatment options for dry AMD and its most severe form, but there are treatments available for wet AMD and glaucoma.
Macular degeneration cannot always be prevented. The top risk factors—family history and being White—are not something you can change.However, you can minimize other risk factors—being overweight and using tobacco products—to decrease your chances of developing macular degeneration.
No, there is no natural way to reverse macular degeneration at this time.Current evidence supports decreasing risk factors. Quit smoking. Maintain a healthy weight. Certain vitamins and minerals along with a diet rich in fish, leafy green vegetables, and yellow fruits and vegetables can help with the condition.
Blindness is not a common result of macular degeneration.Macular degeneration causes loss of vision in the central part of the visual field only. Peripheral vision typically is unaffected. However, macular degeneration can impact your ability to drive, read small print, even see faces. Walking around and being able to not bump into things is typically achievable due to peripheral vision remaining intact.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is macular degeneration?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Glaucoma.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye disease statistics.Cleveland Clinic.Advances in in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Aqueous humor.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is glaucoma?Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group.The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS): design implications. AREDS report no. 1.Control Clin Trials. 1999;20(6):573-600. doi:10.1016/s0197-2456(99)00031-8American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision assistive devices.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision rehabilitation teams and services.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is macular degeneration?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Glaucoma.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye disease statistics.Cleveland Clinic.Advances in in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Aqueous humor.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is glaucoma?Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group.The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS): design implications. AREDS report no. 1.Control Clin Trials. 1999;20(6):573-600. doi:10.1016/s0197-2456(99)00031-8American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision assistive devices.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision rehabilitation teams and services.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is macular degeneration?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Glaucoma.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye disease statistics.Cleveland Clinic.Advances in in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Aqueous humor.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is glaucoma?Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group.The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS): design implications. AREDS report no. 1.Control Clin Trials. 1999;20(6):573-600. doi:10.1016/s0197-2456(99)00031-8American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision assistive devices.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision rehabilitation teams and services.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is macular degeneration?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Glaucoma.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Eye disease statistics.
Cleveland Clinic.Advances in in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Aqueous humor.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is glaucoma?
Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group.The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS): design implications. AREDS report no. 1.Control Clin Trials. 1999;20(6):573-600. doi:10.1016/s0197-2456(99)00031-8
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision assistive devices.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Low vision rehabilitation teams and services.
National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.
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