Age related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness among people aged 50 or above, affecting the central portion of retina known as macula and leading to symptoms including difficulty seeing straight-ahead, seeing wavy lines or colors, difficulty with face recognition and loss of straight-ahead vision.

AMD comes in two forms, dry and wet. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels form beneath the macula and leak blood and fluid into it.

Age

Age related macular degeneration is a widespread eye disease that obscures central vision. Affecting the macula – part of the retina that sends visual images directly to the brain – this condition impairs central vision required for reading, driving and seeing faces and letters clearly. If left untreated it could even lead to blindness; but treatment options exist.

The macula may be small, but it plays an essential role in our eyesight. It allows us to thread a needle, read fine print, drive safely and spot that person standing off to one side.

Age remains the leading risk factor for macular degeneration; however, other risk factors, including smoking and family history can contribute to its development. A smoker’s risk increases fourfold that of nonsmokers due to reduced oxygen supply to your eyes and body from cigarettes.

Researchers have recently discovered that eating dark leafy vegetables with high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin may help protect against macular degeneration. These two nutrients, known as lutein and zeaxanthin, increase antioxidant concentration in the eye which could slow or even stop macular degeneration altogether. Therefore it’s crucial that individuals eating such diets as well as receiving regular eye exams if there’s a family history or other risk factors associated with macular degeneration exist in their lives.

Age related macular degeneration symptoms tend to begin with distortion of straight lines and progress into loss of central vision, though color vision and peripheral (side) vision usually remain clear. Since advanced AMD can occur without noticeable symptoms, regular eye exams with dilation should be undertaken as prevention measures.

Macular degeneration occurs most commonly as dry AMD, accounting for roughly 90% of cases. When this form occurs, damage to the macula leads to formation of yellow deposits called drusen under the retina that grow over time until they break down light-sensing cells in the macula and weaken vision. While people living with dry AMD typically do not experience symptoms and maintain vision without losing it completely, they remain susceptible to wet AMD as it could impact them as well.

Smoking

Smoking is well-known to be linked with lung disease, but its negative impacts are felt throughout your entire body – including your eyes. Smoking increases your risk for serious eye conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration – particularly with long term smoking habits. There are resources online and with your healthcare provider that can help you quit smoking successfully.

Cataracts are cloudings of the eye’s natural lens that cause blurry vision and faded colors, leading to blindness worldwide. Smokers double their risk of cataracts compared with non-smokers; age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is another progressive loss of central vision caused by age and retina damage, typically marked by deposits called “drusen” as well as changes in pigmentation of the retina.

Studies have clearly illustrated a link between smoking and macular degeneration. According to one such research paper, people who had consumed at least half a pack daily for 10 or more years experienced twice as much late-stage macular degeneration than non-smokers. Furthermore, smokers have an increased risk of early-stage neovascular macular degeneration and significantly lower intakes of zinc and antioxidant vitamins from their diets.

Diabetes and high blood pressure can further hamper your vision by damaging small blood vessels that supply oxygen to the eye, increasing risk for glaucoma and creating additional conditions that compromise vision. Therefore, it’s crucial that these health problems are under control, working closely with a primary care physician.

Other unhealthy lifestyle habits, including heavy drinking and poor nutrition, may also contribute to eye issues. Poor diets may lead to dry eyes which aggravate macular degeneration while decreasing the amount of nutrients your body is able to absorb from food sources.

Genetics

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision impairment and severe visual loss among adults over 55, as it results in gradual degradation to the macula in central vision, responsible for driving, reading, computer work or smartphone usage, recognizing faces or colors recognition and seeing fine details. According to estimates this condition accounts for blindness among 5% of global population over 70.

Over time, the macula gradually thins and loses its ability to respond to light, leading to central blindness. Early signs of macular degeneration include deposits known as drusen appearing under the retina during eye examinations or photos taken of it; larger deposits could potentially compromise vision and lead to loss. A few small drusen may not affect vision immediately; if they continue growing larger however they could eventually result in total blindness.

As the disease advances, it can quickly cause vision loss as abnormal blood vessels form and leak fluid and blood into the macula, distorting vision – this form is known as Wet or Exudative Macular Degeneration and it is much more serious than its Dry counterpart.

Progress has been made in identifying genetic susceptibility to AMD, with numerous variants on chromosomes 1q32 (CFH region) and 10q26 (LOC387715/ARMS2) accounting for much of the genetic risk. Other important modifiable risk factors for AMD include smoking and low consumption of antioxidant vitamins such as zinc and carotenoids in diet.

Researchers have developed a strategy for identifying genes most likely to contribute to AMD and are working hard to develop therapeutic targets for this condition. Their team has already identified some genes, such as B3GLCT and BLOC1S1, associated with its onset; furthermore they conducted a large-scale investigation comparing gene-based risk scores with clinical and epidemiological information regarding AMD.

Environmental Factors

Age related macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition that causes central vision loss in those over 50. It is the leading cause of blindness among this group and happens when light-sensing cells within the macula start to degenerate, no longer sending light signals directly to your brain, hindering fine details from being seen clearly. Although initially this deterioration may go undetected by you, gradually your vision becomes worse over time.

Scientists have recently identified genetic and environmental factors as contributors to age related macular degeneration. One such study conducted at University of Campinas in Brazil demonstrated this correlation; specifically genetic variants HTRA1, CFH, and LOC387715 were linked with macular degeneration development. Furthermore, team examined risk factors like family history, cardiovascular disease, smoking etc which researchers believed contributed to developing macular degeneration among their Brazilian patients.

Dry age-related macular degeneration (DAMD) is the most frequent form of macular degeneration, in which small yellow deposits known as drusen form underneath the retina, gradually breaking down light-sensing cells that produce vision. Most people who suffer from DAMD don’t experience symptoms or vision loss and only discover they have it after receiving a comprehensive eye exam.

There is another type of macular degeneration which is less frequently seen, known as wet age-related macular degeneration (WAMD). With WAMD, abnormal blood vessels under the retina leak fluid or blood, causing central vision loss and eventually blindness. As this form of disease requires immediate treatment, using noninvasive tests like Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA) or optical coherence tomography angiography OCT can detect any leakages of fluid into retina.

If you have a family history of macular degeneration or are a smoker, it is essential that you visit an ophthalmologist regularly in order to monitor any early symptoms of macular degeneration so they can intervene before it worsens. By doing this, your physician can detect any early warning signs so they can act before disease progresses further.