Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a common cause of poor vision in people over 60.  This condition only affects your central vision: it does not affect your side vision.  Therefore, macular degeneration does not lead to total blindness like glaucoma or optic nerve disease.

There are two major type of ARMD, called "dry" form and "wet" form.  Most cases are the dry form, which tends to develop slowly as the macular area degenerate.  It may take 10 to 20 years before patients experience serious visual handicap.  The wet form occurs rather suddenly and patients may expeience loss of central vision overnight.   Fortunately, about 90% of macular degeneration are dry type.

Currently we do not know what causes dry type macular degeneration and therefore, there is no effective treatment available.  However, it has been suggested that lutein and Zeaxanthin may provide some protection against oxidative damage.  Lutein and Zeaxanthin are found in deep green vegetables, marigold flowers, and egg yolk.  Lubbock Eye Clinic is involved in researches to see if diet supplement can slow the progression of macular degeneration. These researches are still in early stages and will not produce result in at least a few more years. In the mean time, we recommend that patient with macular degeneration take deep green vegetable such as Kale, spinach, collard green. Smoking has also been shown to increase the risk of macular degeneration.

Treatment for the wet form has become more effective since photodynamic therapy became available.  This procedure uses a light-activated drug called visudyne.  It is injected into blood stream and a non-thermal laser is used to activate the visudyne and close abnormal blood vessels under the macular area. Patients received photodynamic therapy are more likely to preserve their vision prior to the development of leaky blood vessels under the macula. More information about photodynamic therapy can be obtained from your ophthalmologist.