Blindness Due to Age-Related Macular Degeneration Should Not be Considered an Inevitability

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- While age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in Americans age 65 and older[1], seniors who develop AMD should not consider blindness in advanced age to be inevitable, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. During AMD Awareness Month, the Academy is advising the public that regular eye exams along with today's treatments for AMD – if provided early enough – can help seniors avoid unnecessary AMD-related vision loss.

AMD, which affects an estimated 11 million Americans[2], is the deterioration of the eye's macula – the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye that is responsible for central vision, the ability to see fine details clearly. AMD has two forms – wet and dry. While dry AMD leads to a gradual loss of vision, wet AMD leads to faster vision loss and is the most advanced form of the disease. Wet AMD is responsible for 80 to 90 percent of all AMD-related blindness.[3] As AMD is not commonly detected in patients until they begin to suffer vision loss, it is critical for seniors to understand the importance of routine eye exams. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that by age 65, seniors should get eye exams every one to two years, or as recommended by their ophthalmologist.

Years after Joan Nick, an 86-year-old retiree from Carmel, Calif. lost vision in her right eye in her 60s due to glaucoma, she was diagnosed with dry AMD in her left eye. Her ophthalmologist at the time advised her not to worry since the disease typically progresses slowly. But, during a routine eye exam, Nick was shocked to find she could not read an eye chart. Although she hadn't noticed any changes in her vision, her AMD had progressed from dry to wet. Nick immediately visited a retina specialist who began treatment that restored the vision lost to AMD.

"I am so thankful that this treatment has given me a second chance to enjoy the activities I love, such as reading and cooking," says Nick.

Rahul N. Khurana, M.D., Nick's ophthalmologist specializing in retina-related conditions and a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, encourages seniors to learn from Nick's example of taking action to fight the progression of AMD. "Many older people develop AMD and other age-related eye diseases as part of the body's natural aging process, but seniors should not suffer in silence about their sight loss because they feel it's inevitable," said Dr. Khurana.  "There is so much that we ophthalmologists can do these days to help seniors prevent, slow and treat AMD. It's important for seniors to know that people with AMD today have a much better chance of saving their vision than they did 10 years ago."

For individuals who have been diagnosed with dry AMD, nutrient supplements have been proven beneficial in lowering the risk of developing wet AMD. For those who have the wet form of AMD, treatments are available and include anti-VEGF injections that are administered directly into the eye, thermal laser therapy, or photodynamic therapy which involves a light-activated injected drug in combination with a low-power laser.

Seniors who are worried about AMD or other eye conditions, and have not had a recent eye exam or for whom cost is a concern, may qualify for EyeCare America, a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology that offers eye exams and care at no out-of-pocket cost for eligible seniors age 65 and older. Visit www.eyecareamerica.org to see if you are eligible.

More information about AMD

Symptoms of dry AMD include:

• Blurry or hazy vision, especially in your central vision
• Need for increasingly bright light to see up close
• Colors appear less vivid or bright
• Difficulty seeing when going from bright light to low light
• Trouble or inability to recognize people's faces

Symptoms of wet AMD include:

• Distorted vision – straight lines will appear bent, crooked or irregular
• Dark gray spots or blank spots in your vision
• Size of objects may appear different for each eye
• Colors lose their brightness or do not look the same for each eye

To learn about AMD risk factors and view an AMD vision simulator to see how this eye disease can affect vision. For more information about AMD and other eye diseases, visit www.geteyesmart.org.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology, headquartered in San Francisco, is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons — Eye M.D.s — with more than 32,000 members worldwide. Eye health care is provided by the three "O's" – ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who has the education and training to treat it all: eye diseases, infections and injuries, and perform eye surgery. For more information, visit www.aao.org.

About EyeSmart
The Academy's EyeSmart® program educates the public about the importance of eye health and empowers them to preserve healthy vision. EyeSmart provides the most trusted and medically accurate information about eye diseases, conditions and injuries. OjosSanos™ is the Spanish-language version of the program. Visit www.geteyesmart.org or www.ojossanos.org to learn more.

About EyeCare America
Established in 1985, EyeCare America, a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is committed to the preservation of sight, accomplishing its mission through public service and education. EyeCare America provides year-round eye care services to medically underserved seniors and those at increased risk for eye disease. More than 90 percent of the care made available is provided at no out-of-pocket cost to the patients. EyeCare America is co-sponsored by the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Inc., with additional support provided by Alcon and Genentech. More information can be found at www.eyecareamerica.org.

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[1] http://www.eyeresearch.org/resources/pdfs/AgeRelatedMacularDegeneration(NEI).pdf
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19365036
[3]Ferris FL III, Fine SL, Hyman L. Age-related macular degeneration and blindness due to neovascular maculopathy. Arch Ophthalmol, 1984:102:1640-1642

SOURCE American Academy of Ophthalmology