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Northlake Eye
North Carolina Optometrists You Can Trust
Macular Degeneration
You rely on your central vision for almost everything you do. Imagine what it would be like if it were gone. Unfortunately, people over the age of 60 are at an increased risk for an eye disease that damages central vision, known as macular degeneration (also called age-related macular degeneration, AMD, or ARMD).
Macular degeneration is an eye disease that damages the macula, the part of your eye responsible for capturing your central vision.
Several main risk factors for developing macular degeneration include advancing age, smoking, long-term sun exposure, a diet low in vitamins, having a family history of the disease, and being Caucasian.
There are two main forms of this disease: the wet form (exudative) and the dry form (nonexudative).
The dry form is more common, often leads to gradual vision loss, and needs to be monitored carefully over time, as it can develop into the wet form.
In contrast, the wet form involves bleeding or leakage from abnormal blood vessels in your eye and can cause rapid, severe vision loss. If you have the wet form, you would need to see a retinal surgeon for proper management.