What Is Macular Degeneration?

As you age, the macula, or central portion of your retina — the part that’s most sensitive to light — can begin to deteriorate. If this happens, your macula no longer functions optimally to record and send images to your brain through the optic nerve. Since the macula controls the central focus of your vision, if it deteriorates, you may have difficulty in any of the following capacities:

  • Focusing on a computer monitors or televisions
  • Driving a vehicle
  • Interpreting colors and/or shapes
  • Identifying fine details in people’s faces
Macular degeneration usually develops gradually over time and affects both eyes. You may not even realize there’s a problem until you have trouble reading a menu in a dimly lit restaurant, or you can’t focus as well when you look at your friends’ or family members’ faces.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Macular Degeneration?

Age is a major risk for macular degeneration, so if you’re over 60 years old, you’re most likely to develop the disease. But, age alone isn’t the only risk factor. Other contributors to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to consider include:

  • Smoking doubles your risk of developing macular degeneration
  • Being Caucasian increases your risk
  • Having a family history of macular degeneration
  • Being overweight
  • Having high blood pressure
  • Having light-colored eyes
  • Eating a diet high in saturated fats
Environmental factors may also play a role in whether or not you develop AMD later in life.

What Treatments Are Effective for Macular Degeneration?

There are two types of macular degeneration — dry AMD and wet AMD — and the team at Associated Eye Physicians offers state-of-the-art treatment.

Dry AMD is the most common form of the disease, with about 80% of adults who have AMD experiencing this type. Your macula thins out with age, and you develop tiny clumps of protein on your retina. While there is no cure for dry AMD, Dr. Bertolucci and the team help you take steps to minimize vision loss and slow the progression of the disease through lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthier diet and quitting smoking.

For dry macular degeneration that progresses to cause atrophic changes, there are new intravitreal injections aimed at decreasing the progression of the disease. Please inquire about their use. The office of Associated Eye Physicians is at the forefront of treating dry macular degeneration, offering PhotoBioModulation: a new treatment authorized by the FDA in November 2024. It consists of a series of 9 sessions of light treatment with a specific wavelength and timing, delivered to undilated pupils, treating each eye individually.

This treatment has been in use in the UK for a few years and is aimed at decreasing the progression of the disease, with some improvement reported in a few cases. The treatment has been used extensively with no significant negative side effects reported. The treatment is currently not covered by insurance. Please inquire about its use.

For wet AMD, the team at Associated Eye Physicians offers intravitreal injections to prevent the growth of new blood vessels that leak blood and fluid into your eye — a major characteristic of wet AMD.