Dry macular degeneration

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration usually involves assessment of one’s symptoms, evaluation of medical and family history, conduct of a comprehensive eye examination, and several tests.

Tests that may be required include:

• Examination of the back of the eye: In this test, the healthcare provider searches for drusen, or yellow deposits that form under the retina and give the mottled appearance. Macular degeneration patients frequently have a large number of drusen. A specialized instrument is used to inspect the rear part of the eye after putting drops in the eyes to dilate them.
• An examination to check for changes in the central vision: Using Amsler grid, alterations in the central vision is assessed. For individuals with macular degeneration, certain straight lines within the grid may appear faded, fragmented, or distorted.
• Fluorescein angiography: Dry macular degeneration is indicated by changes in blood vessels or the retina, which can be seen in the photographs produced in this test. In the procedure, a dye is injected into a vein in the arm. The eye’s blood vessels are highlighted by the dye as it gets inside. Multiple images are captured by a specialized camera while the dye passes through the blood vessels.
• Optical coherence tomography: This test shows potential areas of retinal thickness, thinning, or edema. Fluid accumulation from leaking blood vessels in and under the retina may be the source of these. The detailed cross-sectional images of the retina are displayed by this noninvasive imaging examination.
• Indocyanine green angiography: This test can be used to identify the certain kinds of macular degeneration in conjunction with a fluorescein angiography.

Treatment

Currently, there is no known method to reverse the damage caused by dry macular degeneration. But numerous clinical trials are underway to explore potential treatments and interventions. While it is important to note that the damage caused by this condition cannot be reversed, early detection and the adoption of certain strategies can potentially help mitigate its progression.

Treatment options for dry macular degeneration include:

• Vitamin supplements: The high-dose formulation of antioxidant vitamins and minerals, known to be potentially beneficial in reducing the risk of vision loss, based on research from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2). The formulation includes specific amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, and copper.
  Although this supplementation has not demonstrated the same benefits for people in the early stages of dry macular degeneration, a high-dose combination of these antioxidant vitamins and minerals may be beneficial for individuals with intermediate or advanced macular degeneration.
• Low vision rehabilitation: Age-related macular degeneration typically does not result in total blindness and does not impair side vision. However, it may lessen or eliminate the central vision. Reading, driving, and recognizing faces all depend on the essential function of central vision.
  Receiving therapy from healthcare specialists and other low vision rehabilitation-trained professionals may be beneficial in figuring out how to adjust to the changing vision.
• Telescopic lens implantation surgery: The telescopic lens, resembling a small plastic tube, is fitted with lenses that enhance and magnify the field of vision. Although the telescopic lens implant has a relatively narrow field of vision, it may help with both close-up and distance vision.
  Implantation of a telescopic lens in one eye may be a viable alternative for improving vision for certain individuals with advanced dry macular degeneration in both eyes. It might be especially helpful in an urban setting to help recognize street signs.