Treatment of Eye Conditions

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Common Eye Disorders

There are a number of vision disorders that aren’t a normal condition of aging, but are more common among older people.

Most of these directly threaten the quality of your vision, and some of them can lead to blindness. Regular comprehensive eye exams are needed to identify, treat or prevent these conditions.

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Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

This condition results in the deterioration of the macula – part of the retina that enables us to see fine details. A person with macular degeneration loses sight in the central part of their field of vision. There are different types of AMD, including Early AMD, Intermediate AMD, and Late AMD – Geographic Atrophy (Dry AMD) and Neovascular AMD (Wet AMD).

Early AMD

Early AMD involves the presence of drusen – fatty deposits under the retina’s light-sensing cells. The connection between drusen and AMD is unclear. But what is known is that an increase in their size or presence often raises a person’s likelihood of contracting late dry AMD or wet AMD. Vision loss in early dry AMD is usually not present but it can appear and progress with the disease, leading to more significant vision loss.

Treatment

Presently there is no treatment for this condition, aside from the recommendation to have a regular eye exam to monitor the disease’s progression. Increasing the amount of antioxidant nutrients in your diet, based on your eye care provider’s recommendation, should also be considered. Many people can also enhance their quality of life with low vision devices even at the early stages of AMD.

Intermediate AMD

Intermediate AMD is indicated by the presence of large drusen or pigment changes in the retina or both. There may or may not be any loss of vision.

Treatment

National Eye Institute researchers found that certain nutritional substances in specific doses can slow the progression of Intermediate AMD and Late AMD present in one eye. Low Vision devices can also be purchased to help improve vision in people suffering from AMD.

Late AMD

Late AMD features vision loss as a result of damage to the macula. There are two types of late AMD – Geographic Atrophy (Dry AMD) and Neovascular AMD (Wet AMD).

Wet AMD is caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels under the macula and central vision loss occurs rapidly.

Treatment

Several options exist to treat Wet AMD

• Drug Injections into the eye slow the growth of abnormal blood vessels.
• Photodynamic therapy involves the injection of a drug into the arm. A laser shined into the eye targets the abnormal blood vessels, which have absorbed the drug, and prevents their continued growth
• Laser surgery differs from the laser used in photodynamic therapy and is often referred to as a “hot” laser. It too is targeted at the blood vessels growing abnormally in the eye.

Dry AMD involves the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly breaking down, leading to a gradual loss of central vision.

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no generally-accepted treatment for dry AMD. Recent research has shown that specific dosages of zinc, vitamins A, vitamin C, and beta-carotene can help slow late AMD’s advancement, but that they appear to have no effect in preventing the disease.

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Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that causes a gradual degeneration of cells that make up the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain. As the nerve cells die, vision is slowly lost, usually beginning in the periphery. Often, the vision loss is unnoticeable until a significant amount of nerve damage has occurred.

Between three and four million Americans have glaucoma; including an estimated 1.5 to two million people who do not even know they have the disease. The most common type of glaucoma develops gradually and painlessly, with no symptoms for an extended period of time. Left untreated, loss of sight vision will occur and may eventually lead to blindness.

Treatment

Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled and vision loss can be slowed with treatment. When it comes to glaucoma treatment, open-angle glaucoma cannot be cured but the pressure build up can be lessened so as to prevent further damage to the eyes. Medications, laser treatments, and surgery can lower the pressure within the eye.

Glaucoma treatment includes:

• A drainage implant in the eye that creates and opening for the fluid to drain
• Surgery to remove a small piece of eye tissue that allows fluid to drain (trabeculectomy)
• Prescription pills
• Eye drops
• Laser surgery

If you do experience any of these glaucoma symptoms be sure to see an eye doctor to undergo treatment and prevent any further damage. Most importantly, if you experience closed-angle glaucoma symptoms, this requires emergency medical attention where an eye doctor usually performs laser surgery to repair what caused the glaucoma, preventing pressure from building up again. Any vision lost to glaucoma cannot be restored. In these cases, low vision devices can help compensate for the vision that was lost by improving vision.

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Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a secondary complication of diabetes and is caused by changes in the retina’s blood vessels. Small blood vessels swell, leak and hemorrhage into the retina, blurring vision, and occasionally leading to blindness. In its advanced stages, diabetes may lead to new blood vessel growth over the retina. The new blood vessels can break and cause scar tissue to develop, which can pull the retina away from the back of the eye. This is known as retinal detachment, and it can lead to blindness if untreated. In addition, abnormal blood vessels can grow on the iris, which can lead to glaucoma.

Treatment

When detected and treated in a timely fashion, significant vision loss can usually be avoided. Yearly eye examinations, at a minimum, are necessary for diabetics, as diabetic retinopathy has no warning signs. Any vision lost to diabetic retinopathy cannot be restored. Though in these cases, low vision devices can help by improving vision to compensate for what was lost.

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Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of all or part of the eye’s normally clear lens. It is visible to both the individual with the cataract, as it affects their vision, and to anyone who looks at that person’s eye and sees the clouded lens. Cataracts eventually block and distort light entering the eye.

More than 20 million Americans over age 40 are affected with this condition. Cataracts are usually found in people over age 55, but younger people can occasionally have them as well.

Symptoms include cloudy or blurry distance vision; altered color perception; problems with glare; difficulty reading fine print; poor night vision and frequent changes in corrective lens prescriptions.

Treatment

Most cataracts can be removed through a surgical procedure, and the vision problem at least partially corrected.

Though there is significant controversy about whether cataracts can be prevented, studies suggest certain nutrients and nutritional supplements may reduce your risk of cataracts. Research suggests that higher dietary intakes of vitamin E and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin from food and supplements are associated with significantly decreased risks of cataract.

Good sources of vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, and spinach. Good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin include spinach, kale, and other green, leafy vegetables. Other studies have shown antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin C and foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, may reduce cataract risk.

Another step you can take to reduce your risk of cataracts is to wear protective sunglasses that block 100% of the sun’s UV rays when you are outdoors.

For those with inoperable cataracts, many people look to low vision devices to improve their quality of life and enhance their vision.