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1. I've been diagnosed with macular degeneration. Will I go blind?

   No. Peripheral, or side, vision usually is not affected by macular degeneration, and people rarely go completely blind from the disease. Macular degeneration involves destruction of the macula, the central part of the eye's retina that allows you to see fine, sharp details straight ahead. The retina is made of light-sensitive tissue that sends visual messages via nerve impulses to the brain through the optic nerve. The brain then processes the nerve signals into a "picture" that you see. The macula consists of millions of light-sensitive cells that help provide the central vision used in reading, driving, recognizing faces and doing close work, such as sewing. As the macula deteriorates, central vision becomes blurred and distorted. There also is loss of fine detail, difficulty reading, a greater need for more light to see and reduced color vision. Supplementing with antioxidant vitamins, zinc and copper may slow the disease's progression.

2. What is age-related macular degeneration, or AMD?

   Macular degeneration often is called age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, because the greatest risk factor for the disease is advanced age. Although AMD can occur during middle age, according to the National Eye Institute, people age 60 and older have the greatest risk. The National Eye Institute reports that results from a large study found that middle-aged people have a two percent risk of developing AMD, but in people over age 75, that risk increases to 30 percent.

3. What's the difference between dry AMD and wet AMD?

   Dry AMD occurs when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly degenerate, resulting in a gradual loss of central vision. According to the National Eye Institute, about more than 85 percent of people who have macular degeneration have the dry form, also called atrophic macular degeneration. A common early symptom of dry AMD is blurred vision. As cells in the macula deteriorate, fewer details can be seen clearly when looking straight ahead. Often, the blurring disappears in bright light. As the light-sensitive cells die, a small blind spot appears in the middle of the vision field. Over the course of many years, the blind spot increases. Although researchers continue to study the disease, the exact cause of dry AMD is unknown, and there is no cure.

   Wet AMD occurs when abnormal, leaky blood vessels develop in or under the retina. The weak blood vessels may leak fluid and bleed, causing the macula to bulge or lift up in the eye, damaging it and distorting vision. This produces the classic early symptom of straight lines that appear wavy. Wet macular degeneration may also cause a small blind spot. Central vision can be destroyed in a short time or after a bit longer period, ranging from a few months to a few years. In some cases, wet AMD can be treated to slow its progression and help preserve central sight. According to the National Eye Institute, the wet type of AMD occurs only in about 10 to 15 percent of people with macular degeneration, but accounts for significantly more severe vision loss from AMD than the dry form.

4. My health care professional recommends that I have laser surgery for wet AMD. Should I schedule the surgery now, or wait a couple years and see how bad my vision gets?

   Because the abnormal blood vessel growth in wet AMD can cause severe vision loss in a short time—anywhere from a few months to a few years—treating the blood vessels at an early stage is more effective. Laser surgery is most effective when the leaky blood vessels growing in or under the retina are caught before they have advanced too close to the part of the macula on which visual images are focused. Only a small percentage of wet AMD patients are candidates for laser surgery because the blood vessels are too close to the macula, and treating with the laser beam would damage the macula even more. It's important to recognize that even with treatment, there is no cure for wet AMD, and whatever vision is lost from the disease cannot be returned. At best, the laser treatment can slow progression of the disease and help maintain what central vision remains. Like dry AMD, wet AMD has no cure.

5. I have dry AMD. What treatment options do I have?

   Currently, there is no treatment for dry AMD. There are, however, many types of low-vision devices designed to help you make the most of your sight, such as special high-magnifying eyeglasses and electronic screens that display text in an enlarged form. Your health care professional can prescribe such aids for you or may refer you to a low-vision specialist. Additionally, vision rehabilitation instructors can help you learn new ways to perform daily tasks, such as marking clothes, groceries and medications so they are easily recognizable; improving lighting and reducing glare; and modifying the home so it is safe and comfortable. Orientation and mobility instructors can teach you how to move around indoors and outdoors when you have low vision. Various adaptive devices, such as clocks and telephones with large numbers, and large-print books, can help those with low vision manage better by themselves. Talk to your health care professional about what kinds of low-vision services and training would be best for you.

6. I've heard people with macular degeneration should take special vitamins and supplements. Do they really work?

   Yes. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), sponsored by the National Eye Institute, followed 3,640 participants who had at least early AMD for at least five years. Those at high risk for developing advanced AMD—those with intermediate AMD and with advanced AMD in one eye only—reduced their risk of developing advanced stages of AMD about 25 percent when they took daily antioxidant/mineral supplements containing 500 mg vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin E, 15 mg beta-carotene, 80 mg zinc (as zinc oxide) and two mg copper (as cupric oxide).

7. How can I prevent macular degeneration?

   Currently, there is no proven way to prevent macular degeneration. If you are age 60 and older, you are at risk for age-related macular degeneration and should have regular, comprehensive eye examinations at least every two years. If you are diagnosed with dry AMD, the National Eye Institute recommends an eye exam through dilated pupils at least once a year. And, because dry AMD can progress to wet AMD, you should obtain an Amsler grid from your health care professional and use it to check each eye every day for signs of wet AMD. If you detect any vision changes, contact your health care professional for an eye exam. Patients with wet AMD should have eye exams as recommended by their health care professional. As soon as you are diagnosed, talk with your ophthalmologist about if and when you should begin taking antioxidant vitamins and minerals to help prevent further progression.