Age related macular degeneration (ARMD)
There are two types of ARMD - a dry type and a wet type (non-exudative
and exudative respectively).
Symptoms
Gradual loss of sharp vision, altered colour vision, distortion of objects.
Sometimes may be asymptomatic and discovered on routine eye examination.
Etiology
Unknown, but associated with old age, family history, smoking, diabetes,
hypertension, arteriosclerosis, stress and hypermetropia.
Treatment of "dry" ARMD
No proven treatment is available. Emperically antioxidant vitamins and
trace elements are given. Whereas not likely to be harmful this treatment
has not been scientifically confirmed to be beneficial.
Low-vison aids may benefit central vision, specially in cases of bilateral
loss of macular function.
Treatment of "wet" ARMD
LASER treatment as early as possible specially in case of treatable neovascular
membranes. Timely LASER helps prevent severe vision loss that can occur
later.
Emperical therapy with antioxidants as above...
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