Macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older individuals, affects the macula. The macula is the part of the retina that allows for the sharp central vision. This is the vision that allows us to read, drive, draw, etc. Macular degeneration comes in two forms – dry (non-neovascular) and wet (neovascular).
The dry version of macular degeneration is actually the early stage of the disease. Although its exact cause is not known, it is believed to be caused by age and the thinning of the macular lining.
The first form is dry macular degeneration. This form is believed to be the early signs of macular degeneration. It is characterized by drusen, which is the debris that is deposited in the macula due to deteriorating tissue. Drusen is usually yellowish in color. As the deposits build, vision loss becomes more severe. However, the loss is never as severe as in the other version of macular degeneration. The FDA has not yet approved any treatment for dry macular degeneration. However, some studies have found that some vitamins, such as beta carotene, may slow the progression of the disease.
A small percentage of dry macular degeneration will result in the more serious and vision threatening wet version. Wet or neovascular macular degeneration is most likely the body’s way of trying to repair dry macular degeneration. In the wet version, a new network of tiny blood vessels forms underneath the retina. These vessels leak blood and other fluids. The fluids damage the cells of the retina and causes blind spots in the central vision. After time the damage to the cells of the retina becomes so severe that complete vision loss is the result.
The wet version, however, does come in two categories. The most severe category is the classic. This type forms a distinctive set of vessels that appear as delineated lines beneath the retina. The leakage from these vessels is severe and thus causes the most damage to the retina. Complete blindness is usually the result of the classic type. The other category of neovascular macular degeneration is called the occult. In this version, the vessels are not as formed and leak less fluids. This, of course, results in less damage to the vision.