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Macular Degeneration

What is Macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration is a progressive condition which damages  the macula area at the back of the eye. This results in scarring and central vision loss. There are 2 types of age-related macular degeneration, dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration is generally less visually impairing, but there is no current treatment. Wet macular degeneration is due to the formation of leaky blood vessels which causes significant vision loss. Wet macular degeneration does have treatment options.

Who is at risk?

The main risk factors for age-related macular degeneration are:

  • Age - over 50 increases the risk

  • Family history

  • Smoking

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What we do to detect macula degeneration

At Eyecare Plus Karalee, our optometrists will check the health of your macula at every comprehensive eye test. This will involve looking at the back of your eye to examine the macula area as well as taking retinal images.

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Patients who are deemed high risk, or show signs of macula damage will be recommended to have an OCT scan performed.

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Regular check-ups perform a valuable role in macula degeneration detection.

More Resources

Macular Disease Foundation : https://www.mdfoundation.com.au

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