This gives our experts at the Newcastle Eye Centre the chance to spread awareness of macular conditions and how they can impact sight.
The most common macular condition is age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – the leading cause of vision loss in the developing world affecting more than 600,000 people in the UK alone.
During Macular Week, we take a closer look at macular conditions, and how eye specialists from the Newcastle Eye Centre are providing rapid, specialist care to help save their patients’ eyesight.
Michelle Blyth specialises in conditions affecting the retina at the RVI’s Newcastle Eye Centre.
They explain: “The macular is part of the retina at the back of the eye. It is very small, around 5mm across, and provides all of our detailed central vision and most of our colour vision.
“AMD causes a gradual deterioration of the macular, usually over many years, as the retinal cells die off and are not reproduced. This causes the myriad of sight problems associated with the condition, and can cause loss of central sight altogether.”
Common symptoms can include:
- Distortion – straight lines, such as door frames and lampposts may appear wobbly
- Gaps or dark spots (like a smudge on glasses)
- Objects may appear to change shape, size or colour, or seem to move or disappear
- Colours can fade
- Words might disappear when reading
AMD tends to appear during the middle or later years of life, most commonly after 60 years, and the risk of developing the condition is higher if there is a family history of the condition.
Whilst there is no cure, thanks to medical research effective treatments are available at specialist eye centres such as the Newcastle Eye Centre.
For example, some patients with a specific form of the condition, known as wet age-related macular degeneration, have regular injections of medication directly into the affected eye. This can help to keep the progression of the condition at bay, and even improve vision in some cases
It is very important to have regular eye checks with an optician and report any concerns urgently. Research also shows that a healthy diet and not smoking can help.
We see many other macular conditions in the Newcastle Eye Centre, including vein occlusion (blockage of a vein at the back of the eye), diabetic macular oedema (complication of diabetic retinopathy), central serous retinopathy (fluid at the back of the eye which can sometimes be related to stress or steroids) and Stargardt disease (a genetic macular condition), to name a few.
Visit the Macular Society website (or similar) for more information: Macular conditions – Macular Society
