Macular degeneration of the retina - treatment and prevention

There are diseases that occur with age and which are either difficult or almost impossible to prevent. Macular degeneration of the retina is one of the examples of such a disease. It can appear in anyone, and its treatment can be difficult, especially if you pay attention to it not immediately. In this article, we will consider the stages of the disease and modern methods of treatment.

What it is

Malukodistrofiya retina is also known as degeneration or degeneration of the visual spot.Its essence lies in the fact that a person partially or completely lost sight due to sclerotic age changes of the so-called yellow spot. The disease does not affect the peripheral vision, which is completely preserved.

In this disease, the newly formed vessels may or may not appear in the eye. The first type of disease to treat (or at least suspend) is much easier.

Causes

Although there are many different medical theories, there is still no definitive answer to the question of what exactly causes this problem.

It is precisely known that it can develop under the influence of smoking. The following factors were identified, which, according to statistics, can also have a certain impact on the development of the problem:

This is how macular degeneration looks like

• malnutrition, in which insufficient amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein are supplied to the body;
• excessive exposure to ultraviolet light;
• insufficiently mobile way of life;
• hereditary factors;
• age over seventy-five years (one third more at risk of developing this disease);
• development of severe nearsightedness;
• severely impaired vision;
• diabetes and obesity;
• a number of medicines;
• presence of cytomegalovirus;
• the presence of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, hypertension, stroke, angina pectoris, Atherosclerosis and the concomitant clogging of microvessels, which cause scars forming a dark spot.

Symptoms

Symptoms may vary depending on which stage of the disease the person is. Common symptoms include:

• Problems with reading the text due to the fact that there is a false sense of lack of lighting.
• Gradual or abrupt decrease or distortion of vision.
• Loss of coordination, problems with vision in the dark.
• The loss of individual fragments of the image with a direct look and the appearance of spots, dead zones in front of the eyes.
• Hallucinations, arising from the fact that straight lines for a person are distorted.

These symptoms can with approximately equal degree of probability appear both on one eye, and on two.

Diagnostics

For the initial diagnosis, the doctor performs a routine examination of the eye.He can identify the so-called druzen on the retina, small yellow deposits, which are a characteristic sign of the onset of the disease. The patient's vision will also be checked. If for him some straight lines are distorted, while others are not at all visible, then it is likely that speech is about macular degeneration.

If this diagnosis was not sufficient, fluorescent angiography can be performed, which consists in introducing a special contrast agent into the vein.After that, pictures are taken. This procedure will show whether blood / fluid flows from the blood vessels to the macula or not.If it follows - this will allow not only to confirm this diagnosis, but also to find a more exact place of damage.

Treatment

Until the end of the disease, as a rule, can not be eliminated, but there are many therapies that can, in fact, suspend the development of the disease, improve vision and restore comfort man. The main approaches to treatment are as follows:

Treatment of macular degeneration with laser

• Laser therapy.When this technique is used, the doctors eliminate pathological blood vessels with a laser. If problem areas are eliminated, then the disease stops its development.
• Photodynamic laser therapy.Under this name is the process of introducing a special solution into the human blood. Gradually, this solution fills the vessels that were damaged during the course of the disease. Then a laser is used, which activates this composition, which leads to the elimination of pathological vessels.
• Intraocular injection.The principle is about the same, only there is no activation of the drug, just inside the eyeball Special substances are introduced that help to prevent the growth of the blood vessels of the pathological type.

There are several treatments that are experimental and are used rarely. This, for example, is a submacular operation in which newly formed vessels are surgically removed, or translocation of the retina, when there is an effect on the vessels that are located directly under the retina.

There are folk methods of therapy.Of course, they can not eliminate the problem entirely, but can be a reasonable addition to the basic treatment.For example, it is recommended to take oatmeal on whole grains of oats, increase the consumption of spinach, sea kale, kiwi, wheat, dill. Another good option - to dissolve 50 g of mummy in 100 ml of aloe.

Complications

If you do not perform timely diagnostics and do not perform treatment, then serious complications can occur that can reach a complete loss of vision if the disease is triggered.

Prevention

To prevent this disease completely, no one is immune from it.You can only reduce the chances of its occurrence. To do this you need:

• Do not smoke, this is one of the most common factors causing the problem;
• as much as possible to go in for sports, as it strengthens the whole body as a whole and the vessels in particular;
• use more cabbage, spinach and similar vegetables;
• take vitamins;
• wear sun glasses and / or a hat with a visor in the sun;
• to check from time to time your vision and if you need to consult a doctor.

Remember that even if you have cured this disease, it can come back, so it's not worthwhile after that to throw preventive actions, continue from perform and periodically check up.

If you already have the described disease, you still need to take certain preventive measures to ease your life and slow the progression of the disease.After all, a person can not read well and do small work when he has such a problem. Here's what to do in this case:

• Temporarily replace ordinary books with vision-free audiobooks.
• To direct light on a book or work that a person performs
• Try to use halogen lamps, because they can provide more uniform lighting, which gives greater comfort.

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conclusions

Macular degeneration of the retina is not a verdict. Successful and timely treatment will help to eliminate the problem, the recovery prognosis is quite good. But for this you need to pay attention to the smallest problems with vision and promptly contact the oculist. If you miss the moment, the chance of loss of vision increases.

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