Life With Vision Loss: Coping With Macular Degeneration

What is Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration is a serious eye disorder and the most common cause of vision loss in people over 60. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the macula – the part of the retina that sends light from the eye to the brain. It causes blurred central vision so individuals with the condition have difficulty reading, sewing, and driving. An estimated 13 million people have symptoms of macular degeneration and 250,000 are legally blind because of the disorder.

Types of Macular Degeneration

There are two types of macular degeneration – wet and dry. Both forms of the disease develop gradually. Although they are serious disorders, neither causes pain or discomfort. Most people don't know they have AMD until it is discovered during a routine eye exam.

• Wet Macular Degeneration
  "Wet" AMD causes deterioration in the area of the macula that makes it possible to see fine details. The condition occurs when abnormal blood vessels begin to develop in the macula. Over time these new vessels separate the macula from its normal position in the back of the eye, resulting in vision loss. Although wet macular degeneration is less common than the dry form of the disease, it is responsible for 90 percent of legal blindness in people of all ages.
• Dry Macular Degeneration
  Dry macular degeneration is more common than wet AMD. It develops when light sensitive cells in the macula gradually disintegrate, resulting in blurred vision and loss of central vision. People with dry macular degeneration have difficulty recognizing faces, need more light for reading, and have slightly blurred vision.

Macular Degeneration Risk Factors

What causes the development of either form of macular degeneration is not completely understood. However the incidence of macular degeneration does increase with age.

Other physical and lifestyle factors associated with macular degeneration include:

• Light skin and eye color
• Extreme farsightedness – the ability to see objects that are far away
• High cholesterol diet, overweight
• Smoking
• Sun exposure
• Family history of macular degeneration

Diagnosing and Treating Macular Degeneration

Because there is no cure for either wet or dry macular degeneration, the goal of treatment is to control disease symptoms and slow down vision loss with laser surgery and medications. Older adults – with or without vision disorders – should schedule annual eye examinations with an ophthalmologist at least once a year to detect macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and other eye problems common in older adults.

Besides regular eye exams encourage your parent to check her vision every day for macular degeneration symptoms with an Amsler Grid. This tool looks like a piece of graph paper with a dot in the center. While your parent focuses on the dot, ask her if any of the lines appear blurred, wavy or seem to be missing. If so, she should schedule an appointment with her ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

Low Vision Aids

A variety of low vision products are available that make it possible for older adults with vision problems live as independently.

Some useful low vision aids:

• Magnifiers that allow people with limited vision to use a computer, sew, knit, or read.
• Large print or "talking" dictionaries, cookbooks, globes, maps and calculators
• "Talking" clocks, radios, kitchen timers and scales
• Canes, walkers or other mobility aids to prevent falls
• Magnifying screens for TVs and computers
• Low vision playing cards, Bingo and board games
• Audible pill and medication reminders
• Needle guides to help people with diabetes locate and stick the needle through the rubber stopper on an insulin bottle.

These and other useful low vision tools are available at pharmacies, medical supply stores, or on the Internet. Most public libraries have lots of materials for people with low vision. In addition to large print books, recorded books on CD or in Braille, libraries may also provide Braille sports schedules, tax forms, raised-line maps and recorded foreign language books.