Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration occurs as a result of ageing. By a slowly progress, it may be seen as a black area in the middle of the visual field with a loss of visual. Smoking, genetic predisposition and unhealthy eating habits are risk factors for macular degeneration.

Macula is the centre of the retina, which is actually located behind the eye. Macula allows us to see clearly and enables us to maintain activities such as reading and writing. When macula is degenerated, we cannot perform these activities in a healthy way.

Macular degeneration shows different symptoms on each patient. Therefore, the diagnosis may be difficult at first. When the problem is on only one eye, the other eye may continue to function normally for a long time. It may take a long time to be noticed when it has on single eye, but if both eyes have it, central vision loss will be more quickly recognized. Blurring of text or words on a page, seeing the lines as skewed, black or white spots in the middle of the centre of vision are the beginning symptoms of this disorder.

Dry Type: It is formed by accumulation of oily material under the retinal layers. It progresses more slowly and leads to decreased vision for a long time.

Wet Type: The disorder is caused by the progression of the damaged capillaries to the macula. This causes sudden loss of vision. It is less common than dry type.

Those who are over age of 60, one in every four person whose first degree relatives have macular degeneration may examine this disorder, and women are at risk more than men. Risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking, light ophthalmology, hardening of the arteries, heart growth and vitamin deficiency in individuals are also included in the risk group.

For the dry type of macular degeneration, preventive treatment, for the wet type of it, needle treatment are applied. Anti-oxidant A, C, E vitamins, lutein and zinc are used in preventive treatment. The method of needle treatment into the eye is done by numbing with drops. During this application the patient does not feel any pain.