Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Various Types Of Macular Degeneration

By Candace Hubbs

Macular degeneration is the major cause of poor vision amongst the elderly. The term refers to the deterioration of the tissues of the macula, that is the part of the retina that provide us with sharp central vision that gives us the ability to read.

The dry version of macular degeneration is actually the early stage of the disease. Although its exact cause is not known, it is believed to be caused by age and the thinning of the macular lining.

Dry or non-neovascular macular degeneration is believed to be the early signs of macular degeneration in general. The dry version is caused by deposits and debris of the tissue surrounding the macula. These deposits, known as drusen, are seen as yellow spots in the retina. Drusen builds up and causes vision loss. Dry macular degeneration is the less severe version of the disease. There is no known treatment for the illness, but some vitamin studies have proven hopeful.

The more severe form of macular degeneration is the wet or neovascular. This type forms a new network of blood vessels behind the retina. Although this type is actually the body's natural way of trying to repair the degeneration, it is not successful. The vessels leak blood and other fluids which causes irreparable damage to the cells of the retina. Fortunately only about 10% of people with dry macular degeneration actually progress to the more severe wet version.

The wet version, however, does come in two categories. The most severe category is the classic. This type forms a distinctive set of vessels that appear as delineated lines beneath the retina. The leakage from these vessels is severe and thus causes the most damage to the retina. Complete blindness is usually the result of the classic type. The other category of neovascular macular degeneration is called the occult. In this version, the vessels are not as formed and leak less fluids. This, of course, results in less damage to the vision. - 17273

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home