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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:51 Causes of Juvenile Macular Degeneration
1:44 Symptoms of Juvenile Macular Degeneration
2:27 Management of Juvenile Macular Degeneration





Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a medical condition which may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field.[1] Early on there are often no symptoms.[1] Over time, however, some people experience a gradual worsening of vision that may affect one or both eyes.[1] While it does not result in complete blindness, loss of central vision can make it hard to recognize faces, drive, read, or perform other activities of daily life.[1] Visual hallucinations may also occur but these do not represent a mental illness.[1]

Macular degeneration typically occurs in older people.[1] Genetic factors and smoking also play a role.[1] It is due to damage to the macula of the retina.[1] Diagnosis is by a complete eye exam.[1] The severity is divided into early, intermediate, and late types.[1] The late type is additionally divided into "dry" and "wet" forms with the dry form making up 90% of cases.[1][3]

The difference between the two forms is the change of macula. Those with dry form AMD have drusen, cellular debris in their macula that gradually damages light-sensitive cells and leads to vision loss. In wet form AMD, blood vessels grow under the macula, causing blood and fluid to leak into the retina.[4]

Preventive efforts include exercising, eating well, and not smoking.[1] There is no cure or treatment that returns vision already lost.[1] In the wet form, anti-VEGF medication injected into the eye or less commonly laser coagulation or photodynamic therapy may slow worsening.[1] Antioxidant vitamins and minerals do not appear to be useful for prevention.[5] However, dietary supplements may slow the progression in those who already have the disease.[6]

Age-related macular degeneration is a main cause of central blindness among the working-aged population worldwide.[7] As of 2020, it affects more than 190 million people globally with the prevalence expected to increase to 288 million people by 2040 as the proportion of elderly persons in the population increases.[2] It is equally seen in males and females and it is more common in those of European or North American ancestry.[2] In 2013 it was the fourth most common cause of blindness after cataracts, preterm birth, and glaucoma.[8] It most commonly occurs in people over the age of fifty and in the United States is the most common cause of vision loss in this age group.[1][3] About 0.4% of people between 50 and 60 have the disease, while it occurs in 0.7% of people 60 to 70, 2.3% of those 70 to 80, and nearly 12% of people over 80 years old.[3]

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