Retinal dystrophies are the leading cause of severe vision loss. They include involutional dystrophies or age-related macular degenerations. Such tendency is connected with changing demographic situation - the number of old people increases.

The risk increases with aging. Other risk factors include vascular diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure), atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus; family history, obesity, cigarette smoking, exposure to ultraviolet light, low levels of nutrients, race. But as people age their chances for developing eye diseases increase dramatically.

Macular degenerations provide the damage of the central part of the retina - the macula. The macula is the area with the densest concentration of the photo receptor cells and it is responsible for our vision in details. That is why the damage of this part of the retina provides considerable vision loss. It is important to point out that macular degeneration affects your central vision, but not your peripheral vision, thus it doesn't cause total blindness. But in the most complicated cases you can't do detail work (reading, writing).

Macular degeneration occurs in two types: "dry" (nonexudative) and "wet" (exudative). Nonexudative forms are the most common and they are diagnosed in 90 percent of macular degeneration cases, tend to progress more slowly allowing you to keep most of your vision. The wet form is more serious and accounts to 10 percent of all cases. It can progress quickly and the sooner you're diagnosed and treated, the better your chances of limiting vision loss.

Early diagnosis of macular degeneration is essential, only an eye care specialist can choose the necessary treatment. But in most cases it is very difficult to diagnose macular degeneration because other eye diseases that are linked to aging have the same symptoms. Patients should know common symptoms of macular degeneration; they include: visual distortion which causes straight lines to appear wavy, double vision, blind spots. You must consult your eye doctor immediatly when any of these symptoms appear.

• Blurred vision, blind spots
• Irregular or wavy lines

Attention! With the wet type of macular degeneration straight lines may look wavy or bent because the macula is no longer smooth.

In our clinic patients with macular degeneration undergo complex eye examination that includes electrophysiologic and dopplerographic exams, fluorescein angiography that allows to better diagnose the presence and extent of the damage in order to determine whether treatment can be offered.

Treatment of age-related macular degeneration

Medical treatment is not effective enough to stop progressing of macular degeneration and more often it is combined with surgical procedures. At early stages of macular degeneration you should regularly take vitamin A, B, E, antioxidants.

Developed stages require more intensive treatment.

Treatment of "dry" macular degeneration.

• non-invasive stimulation (combined with conservative therapy)
• laser treatment;
• intravenous laser blood explosure (in complex with medical treatment)
• upper temporal artery dessection

These methods are directed on improving of the circulatory system of the eye and the retina's nutrition.

Treatment of "wet" macular degeneration:

• laser photocagulation
• surgical removal of subretinal neovascular membranes