What are Macular Drusen?

If you have been diagnosed with macular degeneration  (AMD) you probably have heard your eye specialist mention something about seeing some drusen during your eye exam.  In fact the development of these yellow deposits are they first signs of AMD.  Some people have them even before they notice any changes in their vision. Macular drusen are yellow deposits that develop between the retinal pigment epithelium and the choroid layer – the layer of blood vessels that supply nutrients to the macula.

There are many factors that lead to the development of AMD, but one of them is the inability of the macula to get rid of waste products or to get oxygen rich nutrients from the underlying tissue.  Drusen can contribute to the clogging up of this transport system. The photoreceptor cells, the rods and cones, require lots of oxygen and when they don’t receive enough of it, they begin to degenerate or die. The macula is made up of predominantly cone cells . Cone cells are responsible for our color vision, central vision and our detailed our sharp vision. As these cone cells die, colors are less vivid, detailed or sharp vision becomes blurry, and our straight ahead or central vision gets cloudy.

Types of Drusen

There are two types of drusen – hard and soft. It is important to know which ones you have. Hard drusen are small and round with very sharp borders. These well defined deposits are light yellow and thought to be less harmful.  They become more common with age and may or may not indicate the early development of age related macular degeneration.

Soft drusen are different . They are larger with less defined borders. They vary in size and shape. When your eye doctor sees soft drusen during an eye exam there is more cause for concern. These deposits are thought to be more harmful because they interfere with waste products getting removed from the macula and rich oxygen getting to the macula.  People who have soft drusen will often have more vision changes than those who have only hard drusen.  They may find that they need more light to see bills, to read or perform hobbies. A smudge or blurry spot may appear in the center of their vision.

Questions for Your Eye Doctor

The next time you go for an eye exam ask your doctor about the drusen in your eyes.
Find out :
1.  Do I have any drusen?
2.  If so what kind of drusen do I have?
3.  What size are they and how many large or medium size ones do you see?

The number, size and type of drusen help to define what stage of macular degeneration the person has. To learn more about the stages of macular degeneration and to see a picture of macular drusen go to:

Macular Drusen Picture and Stages of Macular Degeneration

Leslie Degner, RN, BSN

Better Health for Better Vision

www.WebRN-MacularDegeneration.com

Inflammation plays a clear role in the development of age related macular degeneration (AMD). The normal healthy type of inflammation is the body’s response to a specific area that has had an injury.
The body responds by sending blood and nutrients to the tissues around and near the injury.  Although there is often redness, pain and swelling for a time, the injury eventually heals and the signs of inflammation disappear. (continue reading…)

Dr. Michael A. Samuel, the author of Macular Degeneration: A Complete Guide for Patients and Their Families, writes, “Modern research into macular degeneration has found that inflammation plays a clear role in the development of the dry form of this disease.”  Dr. Andrew Weil, the author of Healthy Aging believes that inflammation is the common root of many chronic diseases. (continue reading…)

My husband’s father has wet age related macular degeneration (AMD).   Several of his father’s brothers and sisters also had AMD.  If you have a parent or sibling with macular degeneration, you may be wondering, does that mean you will develop it too? Although we can’t say for sure that living with macular degeneration is in your future,  the chances that you will  develop it are much higher than it is for those without family members with AMD.  The lifetime risk of developing late-stage macular degeneration is 50% for people who have a relative with macular degeneration vs 12% for people who’s relatives do not have macular degeneration (4x the risk). (continue reading…)

Once someone has been diagnosed with age related macular degeneration (AMD) or any disease for that matter, the mind starts asking questions like, how did I get this condition, what caused it or perhaps, could I have done something to prevent it?

(continue reading…)

Macular degeneration symptoms are manifested in different ways depending on what type of macular degeneration a person has and if this retinal disease is in one eye or both eyes.

In the early stages of age related macular degeneration (AMD) a person may not notice any symptoms or the eye symptoms that they do have, such as needing more light, may be attributed to the normal aging process. Another factor that may mask symptoms is when only one eye is affected. The good eye compensates for the affected eye and vision changes are then less noticeable.

Macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss in the senior population. Being aware of the common signs and symptoms may help you get diagnosed earlier or perhaps lead to a better understanding of the type of vision loss your loved one or friend is experiencing.

Some of the signs of macular degeneration are:

1. Difficulty reading in low light
The person finds that reading with a normal light is difficult, but with a well placed swing arm lamp that offers task lighting their vision is improved.

2. Difficulty driving at night
The person may have a hard time seeing a black car or person dressed in dark colors at night. Headlights from
oncoming cars produce a bright glare or halo that makes it more difficult to see and drive.

3. Difficulty determining shades of colors
The person has a hard time distinguishing light gray from dark gray or a dark blue pair of pants from their black pants.

4. Difficulty focusing or experiencing blurred vision
The words in a book or magazine are not as sharp and clear. Watching TV or a movie, one finds that the picture is
not as clear or crisp.

5. Difficulty recognizing faces
A smudge or dark spot appears in the middle of one’s vision. The macula is a tiny spot in the middle of the retina that is responsible for the middle of our vision. This is where the photoreceptor cells are dying, hence the name macular degeneration.

6. Increased sensitivity to glare
The person is more sensitive to glare when in the sunshine or from fluorescent lighting.

7. Colors are less vivid
Colors appear somewhat faded. Reds are not as red and blues are not as blue.

8. Straight Lines appear wavy
A fence or telephone pole looks crooked or bent rather than straight.

As you can tell macular degeneration affects one’s vision in many different ways. It does not result in blindness but rather a loss of vision – especially the middle of one’s vision. Peripheral vision is not affected. Getting regular eye exams is important. The eye doctor may notice early signs of changes in your retina before a person may notice any of the above symptoms.

To learn more about the cause of macular degeneration go to:

Cause of Macular Degeneration

Leslie Degner, RN, BSN

Leslie Degner is a registered nurse with over 20 years or RN experience. Her father-in-law and several of his siblings have wet macular degeneration. As a daughter-in-law to someone who is struggling with AMD and a wife to someone with an extensive family history, her goal is to help others learn more about macular degeneration prevention, treatment, research and resources.

When testing your vision with the Amsler Grid, if there are any holes or blurry spots, or if the lines appear to be wavy, fuzzy, crooked, distorted or broken, you should contact your eye care provider immediately, these are potential signs of AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration).  The Amsler Grid is not a substitute for regularly scheduled eye exams/tests, which should take place at least once every two years.

What is a cataract?

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other.

What is the lens?

The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.

In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain.

The lens must be clear for the retina to receive a sharp image. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image you see will be blurred.

Are there other types of cataract

Yes. Although most cataracts are related to aging, there are other types of cataract:

1. Secondary cataract. Cataracts can form after surgery for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. Cataracts also can develop in people who have other health problems, such as diabetes. Cataracts are sometimes linked to steroid use.
2. Traumatic cataract. Cataracts can develop after an eye injury, sometimes years later.
3. Congenital cataract. Some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, often in both eyes. These cataracts may be so small that they do not affect vision. If they do, the lenses may need to be removed.
4. Radiation cataract. Cataracts can develop after exposure to some types of radiation.

Click here to view our complete line of vision enhancement products to fit your individual needs.

National Eye Institute. Facts About Cataract.

What is Macular Degeneration

Age Related Macular Degeneration is a degenerative disease of the retina that causes progressive loss of vision in the center of the eye. People describe it as having a spot or blurry space in the middle of their vision that interferes with daily tasks like reading and driving. There are two types of macular degeneration, dry and wet.

Dry Age Related Macular Degeneration results when yellow-white deposits called drusen accumulate under the macula, which is the central portion of the retina. Scientists don’t know exactly why this occurs.

In Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration, abnormal blood vessel growth forms under the macula and leaks fluid damaging photoreceptor cells. Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration can progress rapidly and cause serious damage. If it’s caught early, however, laser surgery may be able to prevent extensive vision loss.

The risk of developing macular degeneration increases with age and the disease is the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 55, particularly women. While it significantly reduces vision, Age Related Macular Degeneration does not cause total blindness.

If you have suffered vision loss due to Age Related Macular Degeneration your doctor will probably refer you to a low vision specialist. This dedicated eye care professional will be able to evaluate your available vision and refer you to other specialists who can assist with rehabilitation and resources.

To learn more about vision rehabilitation please read our article called: “Vision Rehabilitation is the Key”.

Most of all, realize that you are not alone. Millions of Americans experience low vision through various eye diseases, like Macular Degeneration, and there are many organizations, professionals and resources available to you. In addition to these resources there are products, like digital magnification, which allow you to maintain your independence through the vision loss process.

Please visit our low vision products page to view our complete line of vision enhancement products to fit your individual needs.

What is diabetic eye disease?

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Diabetic eye disease may include:

• Diabetic retinopathy—damage to the blood vessels in the retina.
• Cataract—clouding of the eye’s lens. Cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.
• Glaucoma—increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision. A person with diabetes is nearly twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults.

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina.

In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.

If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may not notice changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.

What are the stages of diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy has four stages:

1. Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy. At this earliest stage, microaneurysms occur. They are small areas of balloon-like swelling in the retina’s tiny blood vessels.
2. Moderate Nonproliferative Retinopathy. As the disease progresses, some blood vessels that nourish the retina are blocked.
3. Severe Nonproliferative Retinopathy. Many more blood vessels are blocked, depriving several areas of the retina with their blood supply. These areas of the retina send signals to the body to grow new blood vessels for nourishment.
4. Proliferative Retinopathy. At this advanced stage, the signals sent by the retina for nourishment trigger the growth of new blood vessels. This condition is called proliferative retinopathy. These new blood vessels are abnormal and fragile. They grow along the retina and along the surface of the clear, vitreous gel that fills the inside of the eye. By themselves, these blood vessels do not cause symptoms or vision loss. However, they have thin, fragile walls. If they leak blood, severe vision loss and even blindness can result.

Click here to view our complete line of vision enhancement products to fit your individual needs.

National Eye Institute. Facts About Diabetic Retinopathy.