MACULAR DEGENERATION
Macular degeneration distorts and impairs the eye’s most acute vision used for reading and detail work. There is a genetic link among family members with macular generation. There are two forms of age-related macular degeneration, dry and wet. Treatment of dry macular degeneration is aimed at reducing the risk of converting into the wet form where new blood vessels grow. This is through the use of eye vitamins specially formulated for macular degeneration, known as AREDS or Age Related Eye Disease Study vitamins, as well as home screening with the use of an Amsler grid.
The AREDS formula contains daily doses of:
Studies are currently underway involving the AREDS 2 formula containing daily doses of:
AREDS formula vitamins are sold over-the-counter as PreserVision, Ocuvites, ICaps, and ViteEyes.
The Amsler Grid is a screening tool that every patient with dry or wet macular degeneration should use on a regular basis. Changes in the grid may indicate the beginning or worsening of wet macular degeneration which may require treatment to prevent further vision loss. To use the Amsler grid:
Wet macular degeneration used to be treated with laser resulting in permanent vision loss and scarring. New therapeutic options including intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) have helped restore and maintain vision in patients who otherwise would have gone blind.
Macular degeneration distorts and impairs the eye’s most acute vision used for reading and detail work. There is a genetic link among family members with macular generation. There are two forms of age-related macular degeneration, dry and wet. Treatment of dry macular degeneration is aimed at reducing the risk of converting into the wet form where new blood vessels grow. This is through the use of eye vitamins specially formulated for macular degeneration, known as AREDS or Age Related Eye Disease Study vitamins, as well as home screening with the use of an Amsler grid.
The AREDS formula contains daily doses of:
- Vitamin C 500 mg
- Vitamin E 400 IU
- Beta-carotene 15 mg
- Zinc oxide 80 mg
- Copper or cupric oxide 2 mg
Studies are currently underway involving the AREDS 2 formula containing daily doses of:
- Vitamin C 500 mg
- Vitamin E 400 IU
- Zinc oxide 80 mg
- Copper or cupric oxide 2 mg
- Lutein 10 mg
- Zeaxanthin 2 mg
AREDS formula vitamins are sold over-the-counter as PreserVision, Ocuvites, ICaps, and ViteEyes.
The Amsler Grid is a screening tool that every patient with dry or wet macular degeneration should use on a regular basis. Changes in the grid may indicate the beginning or worsening of wet macular degeneration which may require treatment to prevent further vision loss. To use the Amsler grid:
- While wearing your reading glasses, hold the Amsler Grid at a distance that the grid is in focus.
- Cover one eye.
- Look at the black center dot.
- Without moving your eye from the black center dot, make sure all the lines are straight and intersecting at 90 degrees.
- Repeat while covering the other eye.
- Notify your eye doctor immediately if you notice any changes on any portion of the grid (e.g. blurred, broken, distorted, missing, wavy).
Wet macular degeneration used to be treated with laser resulting in permanent vision loss and scarring. New therapeutic options including intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) have helped restore and maintain vision in patients who otherwise would have gone blind.