Wet macular degeneration: a less common form of age-related macular degeneration
As people age, many people start having trouble with their eyesight. One of the most common conditions that affects them is AMD – age-related macular degeneration – the leading cause of severe, irreversible vision loss in people over age 60.
At the offices of Retina Group of Washington, our team of highly-skilled eye specialists is well equipped to diagnose and treat AMD, helping to manage the condition, minimizing or even recovering vision loss for our patients.
AMD has two types: wet and dry. Wet macular degeneration is a chronic eye disorder that causes blurred vision or a blind spot in the visual field. It’s generally caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the macula, the part of the eye’s retina responsible for central vision. Dry macular degeneration, which is due to the thinning of the macula, is more common but less severe.
Wet macular degeneration symptoms usually appear suddenly and worsen rapidly. Patients may experience visual distortions, reduced central vision, decreased color intensity, general haziness in overall vision and blind spots in their field of vision. Because macular degeneration doesn’t affect peripheral vision, it rarely causes total blindness.
No one knows the exact cause of wet macular degeneration, but the vision loss can develop as a result of the abnormal growth of new blood vessels that leak fluid or blood, interfering with the retina’s function; or it could be caused by fluid buildup in the back of the eye.
Factors that may increase your risk of macular degeneration include advancing age, a family history of the disease, smoking, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Committed to your vision health
Treatments for wet macular degeneration involve medications and therapies designed to slow disease progression, preserve existing vision and, if started early enough, recover some lost vision. At the office of Retina Group of Washington, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate eye care. For more information on our office and the many services we provide, give us a call today.