Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in individuals over the age of 60. In fact, it is so common that it’s estimated nearly 10 million Americans suffer from it.
AMD occurs when the center of the retina (the macula) deteriorates. Since the macula is responsible for our central vision, damage to or deterioration of the macula means difficulty or inability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and generally see objects in fine detail.
Here’s the tricky part: in its earliest stage, AMD does not affect vision. As AMD progresses, people may experience wavy or blurry vision prior to losing central vision.
So, how are we supposed to know if we have this silent, sight-stealing disease early enough to prevent blindness? Comprehensive eye exams. If you have certain risk factors for AMD, your eye doctor may want to see you more frequently, but a good rule of thumb is to never skip your annual comprehensive eye exam.
And it never hurts to educate yourself, too! Take a few minutes to test your AMD “EyeQ” here to better understand this condition and help determine whether you should come in and get checked.
While AMD is chronic and (currently) incurable, there are several treatment options that use innovative technology and advanced methods to slow progression and preserve eyesight.
We hope you will consider trusting your eye care to visionary experts at a location near you. We are ready to help you see things more clearly!