Macular degeneration

Description of condition

On the retina, the macula – the point with the sharpest vision – is the area with the largest density of photoreceptor cells. In the case of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the function of photoreceptor cells is increasingly impaired, and they slowly die.

Fundamentally, a distinction is made between wet and dry macular degeneration.

Causes

AMD is a condition that usually occurs in old age. It is by far the most common cause of poor vision in the West. It generally occurs as a constitutional result of old age, but smoking and high blood pressure, for example, are also common risk factors.

Symptoms

As with glaucoma, the symptoms of macular degeneration are often detected late. The result is a slow decrease in visual acuity, reduced ability to read and distorted vision.

Diagnosis

During the check-up, central visual acuity is measured. Examination with the Amsler grid is a very significant test. If the grid lines on the paper do not appear straight for the patient, but distorted, this is a clear indication of macular degeneration.