Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. An estimated 4.1 million and 899,000 Americans are affected by retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy, respectively. It is the leading cause of blindness among U.S. Early diagnosis of DR and timely treatment reduce the risk of vision loss however, as many as 50% of patients are not getting their eyes examined or are diagnosed too late for treatment to be effective. The risks of DR are reduced through disease management that includes good control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipid abnormalities. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes. DR progresses through four stages, mild nonproliferative retinopathy (microaneurysms), moderate nonproliferative retinopathy (blockage in some retinal vessels), severe nonproliferative retinopathy (more vessels are blocked leading to deprived retina from blood supply leading to growing new blood vessels), and proliferative retinopathy (most advanced stage).
It is characterized by progressive damage to the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that is necessary for good vision. It is the leading cause of blindness in American adults. Learn more about age-related macular degeneration.ĭiabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes. AMD is the leading cause of permanent impairment of reading and fine or close-up vision among people aged 65 years and older. The number of people with AMD is estimated to reach 2.95 million in 2020. It is estimated that 1.8 million Americans aged 40 years and older are affected by AMD and an additional 7.3 million with large drusen are at substantial risk of developing AMD. However, the presence of large and more numerous drusen raises the risk of developing advanced dry AMD or wet AMD. The presence of small drusen is normal and does not cause vision loss. They often are found in people aged 60 years and older. One of the most common early signs of dry AMD is drusen.ĭrusen are tiny yellow or white deposits under the retina. Over time, as less of the macula functions, central vision is gradually lost in the affected eye. The dry form is more common and accounts for 70–90% of cases of AMD and it progresses more slowly than the wet form. An early symptom of wet AMD is that straight lines appear wavy.ĭry AMD is when the macula thins overtime as part of aging process, gradually blurring central vision. Bleeding, leaking, and scarring from these blood vessels cause damage and lead to rapid central vision loss. Wet AMD is when abnormal blood vessel behind the retina start to grow under the macula, ultimately leading to blood and fluid leakage. AMD affects the macula, the central part the retina that allows the eye to see fine details. Central vision is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks such as reading and driving.
Macular degeneration, often called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is an eye disorder associated with aging and results in damaging sharp and central vision.
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