Macular
Degeneration General
Information
Age-related macular
degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the
United States and many European countries. The
neovascular "wet" form of the disease is
responsible for most (90%) severe loss of vision.
There are approximately 200,000 new cases of wet
macular degeneration in the United States each year.
The average age of
patients with the wet form of macular degeneration is
the mid-70s. It rarely occurs before the age of 50.
Wet macular degeneration is more common in whites, but
occurs in all races.
The wet form of macular
degeneration is usually associated with aging, but
other diseases which can cause wet macular
degeneration include high myopia (being very
nearsighted) and some intraocular infections like
histoplasmosis.
The first proven
treatment was laser photocoagulation, but only 10-15%
of eyes with wet macular degeneration are treatable
with laser. Then recurrences after laser treatment are
common (70% in 5 years). The average visual acuity 3
years after treatment is usually 20/200 to 20/250.
Patients rarely lose
all of their vision from macular degeneration. Though
they have poor central vision, most can walk around,
dress themselves, and perform many of their normal
daily tasks.
Social
and Economic Implications of Age-related Macular
Degeneration
Since ARMD results in
loss or impaired central vision, it is not surprising
that the majority of patients either become partially
sighted or legally blind. Activities which require
good central vision such as reading, writing and
carrying out certain domestic tasks are all affected.
Many
macular degeneration patients require help to perform
activities of daily living. Sometimes, their visual
handicap necessitates admission to a nursing home. The
social cost of this handicap is enormous in both
personal and social terms. When both eyes are
affected, patients experience serious loss of quality
of life and independence.
What makes macular
degeneration research even more important is that
recent evidence suggests that macular degeneration is
now a more common cause of permanent visual loss than
diabetes.
How
Do We Solve This Problem?
In recent decades we
have witnessed improved technology offering solutions
for patients suffering from cataract, diabetic
retinopathy, and glaucoma. We have also seen the aging
of our patient population. Since the number of
patients suffering from blindness due to treatable
conditions has fallen dramatically, age-related
macular degeneration has become the most pressing
"vision-related" public health dilemma in
the developed world.
