Can I Go Blind From Macular Degeneration

Age related macular degeneration is a disease that affects vision due to damage to the central part of the retina.

Can i go blind from macular degeneration. Vision changes in the dry form are slower and more insidious it may take months or years before one notices that colors are less vivid one s vision has become blurry or a grey or blank spot has developed in the middle of one s vision. Prevention although most cases of wet macular degeneration are due to genetics there are a number of lifestyle and dietary factors that can affect the risk of developing the dry form of the eye disease. Total blindness from macular degeneration is extremely rare. In general if you do not take any measures of treatment of macular disease it will go blind in two years we should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Spots in the retina. Dry age related macular degeneration amd is the most common. 03 13 2013 macular degeneration is a chronic disease it can cause a sharp decline in the central visual acuity and central vision is required for daily activities. Although amd may occur earlier studies indicate that people over age 60 are at greater risk than those in younger age groups.

There are several factors both controllable and uncontrollable that may put you at risk of macular degeneration. At present macular degeneration is considered an incurable eye disease though some treatments do exist. For instance a large study found that people in middle age have about a 2 percent risk of getting amd but this risk increased to nearly 30 percent in those over age 75 facts about 2009. Even so since the rest of the retina is still working they retain their peripheral vision or side vision.

The macula actually represents a very small component of a patient s overall visual field. No one will ever go completely blind from macular degeneration. However although the disease may cause blindness it s not guaranteed. People with very advanced macular degeneration are considered legally blind.

Fortunately most patients with amd can keep good vision for their entire lives and even those who lose their central vision almost always maintain their side or peripheral vision. In the u s macular degeneration affects nearly 10 million people. Many patients are frightened of losing vision or going blind when they are told they have age related macular degeneration amd.