Our bodies go through a lot of changes as we get older. We gain weight in places we never imagined. Our hair gets thinner and greyer. Our eyes and vision get worse, and we require glasses or corrective treatments to correct it. Vision loss and blurriness is one of the most common symptoms of aging that people experience. Eye doctors see a lot of patients whose vision has gotten worse over the years, and want to know what their options are for treatment. Fortunately, there are a few options to increase visibility.
One of the most common causes of vision loss and blurriness is macular degeneration. This is a normal and expected degeneration of the eye walls. Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye condition affecting as many as 15 million Americans and millions more around the world. The disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest vision occurs.
As the eyes become weaker, they are unable to visualize things as clear as they once could. The macular degeneration can sometimes be corrected with vitrectomy surgery. This vitrectomy surgery is sometimes optional, with sufferers of AMD wanting to improve their vision without corrective lenses. It can also, sometimes, be required. AMD is the number one cause of severe vision loss and legal blindness in adults over 60 in the U.S. It escalates with age. It affects 14% to 24% of the U.S. population aged 65 to 74 years and 35 to 40% of people aged 74 years or more have the disease.
There are also different stages of AMD, which can affect whether or not the vitrectomy surgery is optional or required. Not everyone with early AMD will develop late AMD. For people who have early AMD in one eye and no signs of AMD in the other eye, about 5% will develop AMD after 10 years. For people who have early AMD in both eyes, about 14% will develop late AMD In at least one eye after 10 years. With prompt detection of AMD, there are steps you can take to further reduce your risk of developing the highest stage of AMD.
Vitrectomy surgery has shown great success in treating this eye disease. Although its numbers are not at 100%, many people suffering with AMD have improved vision after the vitrectomy surgery in California. It is also the best macular degeneration treatment that is available and that provides such successful results. The surgery is more advanced than ever, and is less risky. The recovery time is minimal, and sufferers of AMD can expect to have clearer vision a couple of weeks after the surgery is performed.
As with any other medical procedure, it is important to research the process and get a second opinion. You should never go under a surgical procedure if it is not needed. If there are other methods that can correct your vision, that are less invasive, it may be beneficial to try these first. Also, second opinions can ensure that you are actually suffering from AMD. You do not want to go through a surgical procedure, have it not work successfully, and find out that your vision loss is not from AMD symptoms.
As we age, we notice a lot of physical changes. Our senses are not as strong as they once were. This is especially true of our vision. Things are less clear and it is harder to see things that we could once see, with no problem. A lot of vision changes are due to macular degeneration. A surgery, called vitrectomy surgery can sometimes correct this condition and allow the person to see clearer and smaller things.