Euro Optometry and Vision Science

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the membrane, which is the within back layer of the attention that records the images we see and sends them to the brain via the cranial nerve. The causes of degeneration are complex, but they include both heredity and environment. When yellowish spots called drusen begin to accumulate in and around the macula, dry degeneration is diagnosed. These spots are thought to be deposits or scrap from deteriorating tissue. The loss of vision caused by age-related degeneration is usually gradual and painless. Treatment for macular degeneration is dependent on whether the disease is in its early stages, dry type, or advanced, wet type, which can result in severe vision loss. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for dry macular degeneration, though biological process intervention may help to prevent its progression to wet macular degeneration.