Some Insights about Macular Degeneration
Before we get into the problem of macular degeneration, you need to know what the macula is. It is the central area in the retina, a small portion actually, that helps to define the vision. For example, the macula of the retina helps to recognize and distinguish faces, read a book by identifying alphabets or simply watch TV. Without a properly functioning macula, these differentiations of the vision would be lost to a person.
With age, the macula of the eyes begins to degenerate, leaving a person unable to make much sense of what they are seeing. This problem is more common among the aged. This is why macular degeneration is often called AMD or AMRD, the acronyms for age-related macular-degeneration. It can be of two types: dry and wet. Technically speaking, the dry form of AMD is known as non-neovascular while the wet AMD is called neovascular.
Dry AMD is mainly a problem for the aged due to deposition of some kind of the macular region. This is an early stage of the problem and is the time when you need to visit a top eye care clinic in Mauritius. Due to a combination of two factors, age and deposition, there is a yellowish deposition on the macula, known as drusen. This may actually be dead or degenerated tissue depositing on the central region of the retina.
The wet AMD condition is an advanced stage of the dry type. In this case, which is usually only 10% of the time, there is a growth of blood vessels in the macular region. They leak blood and cause great damage to the vision of a person. It can cause irreversible damage to the light-detecting parts of the retina. As a result of this damage, a person develops innumerable blind spots in the vision.
There are definite symptoms that can guide you towards identifying macular degeneration. You will begin to see fuzzy or shady portions in your vision. You may often see distorted items. If you go for a check up with the top eye care clinic in Mauritius, they will conduct a retinal test to check for AMD. A test with something called an Amsler Grid is performed, which is actually some straight lines. If you see them as distorted, you are likely to be suffering from AMD.
To avoid AMD, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, saying no to drugs and smoking, among other lifestyle choices.