Sarnia - Lakeshore / (519) 542-3937
Sarnia - Vidal Street / (519) 336-4113
Grand Bend / (519) 238-6086
The inside of your eye is lined by a complex system of tissues called the retina. In the middle of the retina is a small cluster of light-sensitive cells which are responsible for your central vision. This area is called the macula.
Age-related macular degeneration (or AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in Canada. It develops slowly and is initially difficult to detect. We have OCT lasers to scan your retinas for early signs of the disease. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about AMD or any eye related issues. Contact us today to have a chat about eye health.
Because early AMD usually doesn’t show any visual symptoms, it’s crucial that you see us for routine eye exams. We’ll assess and can scan your eyes with our OCT lasers for AMD, as well as a number of other eye issues like glaucoma. Book your eye exam with us today.
The treatment used for age-related macular degeneration depends on the stage to which the disease has progressed.
There is not currently any treatment for the early stages of AMD. Your eye doctor will, however, most likely recommend some lifestyle changes (like losing weight or quitting smoking) and specific nutrients to help prevent or delay the progression of the disease.
Research shows that the regular consumption of specific nutrients can help delay the progression of intermediate AMD and late geographic atrophy AMD. These nutrients include:
Please talk to your eye doctor or general practitioner before starting any vitamin therapy.
Although there is no cure for neovascular AMD, there are treatments available to potentially prevent further vision loss. These treatments include injections into the eye to inhibit new irregular blood vessels from growing, using laser surgery to target and destroy the irregular blood vessels, or photodynamic therapy. Today, intraocular injections are by far the most effective treatment and are now the number one treatment of choice by retinal specialists
A case of early AMD is categorized by the significant presence of small to medium-sized deposits called drusen. These drusen would be roughly the width of a typical human hair. At this stage, the patient usually does not experience any vision loss, nor any other symptoms. Drusen can be detected during a routine eye exam, allowing your optometrist to help preserve your vision through treatment.
In addition to large drusen, patients with intermediate AMD usually show changes to the pigmented cells under the retina. These signs can appear individually or at the same time, and can both be detected through an eye exam. At the intermediate stage, a patient has most likely experienced some vision loss, however, they most likely won’t have noticed it. There are not usually any other symptoms at this point.
Once AMD reaches the late stage, it falls under one of two classifications.
Drusen are deposits of fatty proteins under the retina. Not all types of drusen indicate AMD. Your eye doctor will be able to determine whether or not your drusen are cause for concern through an eye exam.
