Your eyesight plays a major role in your quality of life, which is why it’s so important to have regular checkups with your eye doctor. One of the most serious eye problems is age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this post, Alderwood Optical & Canyon Park Vision Clinic provides a brief overview of AMD.
AMD is an eye disease that affects your central vision. An age-related condition, AMD causes damage to the macula, the part of your eye that controls sharp vision. The macula is part of your retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue located at the back of your eye.
AMD is a common condition and one of the leading causes of vision loss among seniors. While AMD doesn’t necessarily cause complete blindness, losing your central vision will still make it difficult to distinguish faces, drive, read or do chores around your home. AMD can progress either slowly or quickly depending on a number of factors, including a person’s lifestyle. This is why it’s important to have eye exams with a trusted eye doctor to see if you have AMD.
There are numerous FDA-approved treatments for AMD, such as eye injections. Another treatment that’s possible is photocoagulation, which is a laser surgery procedure that can slow down vision loss. There are also other medical treatments that are currently undergoing clinical trials before being released to the public. You can also lower your risk of AMD by leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining good blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Alderwood Optical & Canyon Park Vision Clinic is an eye-care specialty clinic serving Redmond and Kirkland, WA. Our team focuses on eye health and vision rehabilitation through specialty contact lenses to help patients achieve an improved quality of life. Call us at (425) 771-8472 or fill out our contact form to set up an appointment with an eye doctor.