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The
Basics
Macular
Degeneration General
Information
Age-related macular
degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the United
States and many European countries. The neovascular
"wet" form of the disease is responsible for most
(90%) severe loss of vision. There are approximately 200,000
new cases of wet macular degeneration in the United States
each year.
The average age of patients
with the wet form of macular degeneration is the mid-70s. It
rarely occurs before the age of 50. Wet macular degeneration
is more common in whites, but occurs in all races.
The wet form of macular
degeneration is usually associated with aging, but other
diseases which can cause wet macular degeneration include
high myopia (being very nearsighted) and some intraocular
infections like histoplasmosis.
The first proven treatment
was laser photocoagulation, but only 10-15% of eyes with wet
macular degeneration are treatable with laser. Then
recurrences after laser treatment are common (70% in 5
years). The average visual acuity 3 years after treatment is
usually 20/200 to 20/250.
Patients rarely lose all of
their vision from macular degeneration. Though they have
poor central vision, most can walk around, dress themselves,
and perform many of their normal daily tasks.
Social and
Economic Implications of Age-related Macular Degeneration
Since ARMD results in loss or
impaired central vision, it is not surprising that the
majority of patients either become partially sighted or
legally blind. Activities which require good central vision
such as reading, writing and carrying out certain domestic
tasks are all affected.
Many macular
degeneration patients require help to perform activities of
daily living. Sometimes, their visual handicap necessitates
admission to a nursing home. The social cost of this
handicap is enormous in both personal and social terms. When
both eyes are affected, patients experience serious loss of
quality of life and independence.
What makes macular
degeneration research even more important is that recent
evidence suggests that macular degeneration is now a more
common cause of permanent visual loss than diabetes.
How Do
We Solve This Problem?
In recent decades we
have witnessed improved technology offering solutions
for patients suffering from cataract, diabetic
retinopathy, and glaucoma. We have also seen the aging
of our patient population. Since the number of
patients suffering from blindness due to treatable
conditions has fallen dramatically, age-related
macular degeneration has become the most pressing
"vision-related" public health dilemma in
the developed world.
Therefore, there is an
urgent need for research studies directed towards:
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Understanding WHY people
develop macular degeneration.
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Developing Effective
Treatments.
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Assessing the impact
of this disease and new treatments on our
patient's Quality of Life.
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