What is Age-related Macular Degeneration?
AMD is a deterioration or the breakdown of the eye's macula. What is the eye's macula? It is the small area in the retina-- the light-sensitive tissue which lines the back of the eye. The macula is responsible for your central vision--- which allows you to view fine details with clarity.AMD is the late stage of age-related macular disease.
The early stages involve hyper-pigmentation or hypo-pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the development of drusen (yellow deposits under the retina). People who experience AMD in the late stages of the disease typically have:
- • Severe vision loss
- • Signs of choroidal neovascularization (growth of new blood vessels within the choroid layer of the eye)
- • sub-retinal hemorrhage
- • Geographic atrophy
What Causes Age-related Macular Degeneration?
The primary cause is said to be the premature dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE is a monolayer that is responsible for the majority of maintenance functions for the neurosensory retina.If you or someone you know is suffering from symptoms of this common medical eye disease, we encourage you to call us.
At Kirman Eye, we can test your condition with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT). Get the eye care you deserve from our experienced doctors!
