Does Wet Macular Degeneration Lead To Blindness

In dry macular degeneration which affects about 85 per cent of cases the macula wears away very gradually.

Does wet macular degeneration lead to blindness.

There are two forms of macular degeneration wet and dry. Neither affects peripheral vision so neither leads to total blindness. Their causes are mostly unknown. It often occurs in just one eye initially but eventually spreads to both eyes.

The patients lose their ability to take part in activities. Wet macular degeneration is a chronic eye disorder that causes blurred vision or a blind spot in your visual field. Dry macular degeneration is one of two types of age related macular degeneration. According to the national federation for the blind nearly 7 of adults over age 65 fit the definition of visually impaired.

The wet type is caused by leaking blood vessels. These wet forms of macular degeneration involve the growth of blood vessels deep within the eye and when those vessels leak or burst they cause rapid loss of vision. There is no treatment as yet. It can progress to wet neovascular macular degeneration which is characterized by blood vessels that grow under the retina and leak.

The peripheral vision however is left untouched so macular degeneration does not by itself lead to total blindness. The macula is in the part of the retina responsible for central vision. And the condition doesn t affect side peripheral vision so it rarely causes total blindness. Patients with macular degeneration lose their central vision.

According to the american journal of managed care some people lose their sight within days of experiencing symptoms. The macula starts to deteriorate and central vision slowly breaks down. This includes reading facial recognition seeing objects in fine detail and driving. When the photoreceptors in the macula degrade patients go blind.

It s generally caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the macula mak u luh. See age related macular degeneration does not cause blindness many affected people move about with no assistance at all and lead independent productive lives.