The macula helps your eye focus on centrally located items. This includes things like television and faces. While central vision is only about 3% of vision, if damaged it can lead to blindness in a practical sense. Macular damage can prevent patients from being able to watch television, use computers, drive or read.
Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) can occur as your eye ages. Macular degeneration can appear as either wet or dry degeneration.
- Dry macular degeneration is the most common form, representing 90% of cases. It may or may not lead to vision changes.
- Wet macular degeneration develops when new blood vessels appear within the macula, weakening its function. Vision loss can occur quickly with wet macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration is most often caused by aging but can also be caused by genetics, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, and smoking.
If you have noticed a sudden change in your ability to read or see straight lines as straight you may have macular degeneration. Contact our office for more information and to schedule your next vision screening today.
