Macular degeneration is a major cause of vision loss that affects over 10 million Americans. In this article, we will break down the two types of macular degeneration. As a degenerative ailment, macular degeneration is more common in those over 40 years of age.

Considered an incurable eye disease, macular degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the center potion of the retina called the macula. This part of the retina is the back layer of the eye used to record the light that we see. This light is sent to the brain via the optic nerve where it is interpreted.

The Types of Macular Degeneration

The macula is the most sensitive area of the eye as it receives the images at the center of a person’s field of vision. When the macula begins to deteriorate vision becomes blurred rapidly. There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and dry. The vast majority (around 90%) of macular degeneration cases are the dry type, while the remaining 10% or so are the wet type.

Dry age related macular degeneration does not involve any leakage of serum or blood from the eye, however, a loss of vision may still occur, while wet macular degeneration involves the loss of blood or serum as well as a more rapid loss of vision.

Patients with the dry form may have good central vision but may have other limitations such as difficulty with reading, fluctuating vision, difficulty seeing at night, and other impairments.

The early stages of dry macular degeneration are usually associated with only minimal vision disruption. To have your eyes checked for macular degeneration, please call the Eye Michigan team of eye care experts at (248) 221-1022 to schedule an appointment. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit us online today.