Can I Go Blind From Macular Degeneration

Spots in the retina.

Can i go blind from macular degeneration.

Age related macular degeneration is a disease that affects vision due to damage to the central part of the retina. Vision changes in the dry form are slower and more insidious it may take months or years before one notices that colors are less vivid one s vision has become blurry or a grey or blank spot has developed in the middle of one s vision. Prevention although most cases of wet macular degeneration are due to genetics there are a number of lifestyle and dietary factors that can affect the risk of developing the dry form of the eye disease. Many patients are frightened of losing vision or going blind when they are told they have age related macular degeneration amd.

Macular degeneration typically affects the central part of vision referred to as the macula. 03 13 2013 macular degeneration is a chronic disease it can cause a sharp decline in the central visual acuity and central vision is required for daily activities. However although the disease may cause blindness it s not guaranteed. According to chip goehring founder and president of the american macular degeneration foundation he is living proof that by eating right and taking proper preventative measures you can still keep your sight even 20 years after being diagnosed with amd.

On average it takes about 10 years to move from diagnosis to legal blindness but there are some forms of macular degeneration that can cause sight loss in just days. The macula actually represents a very small component of a patient s overall visual field. Total blindness from macular degeneration is extremely rare. Fortunately most patients with amd can keep good vision for their entire lives and even those who lose their central vision almost always maintain their side or peripheral vision.

There are several factors both controllable and uncontrollable that may put you at risk of macular degeneration. People with very advanced macular degeneration are considered legally blind. Although amd may occur earlier studies indicate that people over age 60 are at greater risk than those in younger age groups. Dry age related macular degeneration amd is the most common.

In the u s macular degeneration affects nearly 10 million people. For instance a large study found that people in middle age have about a 2 percent risk of getting amd but this risk increased to nearly 30 percent in those over age 75 facts about 2009. In general if you do not take any measures of treatment of macular disease it will go blind in two years we should see a doctor as soon as possible.