What is macular degeneration and what causes it?
Macular degeneration is when the macula (the portion of the retina responsible for central vision) becomes ischemic. It occurs when drusen form between the macular retina and the underlying choroidal blood supply. These drusen block the exchange of nutrients and waste products, gradually destroying the retinal photoreceptors and affecting vision.
Most people with macular degeneration suffer from the “dry” form as just described. There are no good treatments for this, other than monitoring, quiting smoking, green vegetables, and possible vitamins.
“Wet” degeneration can occur suddenly, when blood vessels from the choroid break up through Bruch’s membrane in the areas of those drusen, and bleed directly into the retinal tissue. This causes decreased vision, metamorphopsia (distortion of vision from the lumpy retinal surface) and is treated with anti-VEGF agents like Avastin, Macugen, and Lucentis.
There is no cure at the moment for this disease. With Macular Degeneration your macula gets clogged with materials that clog and start to block that portion of your eye that is meant to give you clear and sharp central vision and color definition. It can’t be fixed with lenses and as it progresses can take sixty to seventy percent of your vision. It is not total blindness but close to it. It is not known what causes it.