What is Macular Degeneration?
macular degeneration

Macular Degeneration is often associated with ageing. Hence, it is also known as age-related macular degeneration. So, it affects your macula, the central part of your retina. In this condition, you’ll lose your central vision while maintaining good peripheral vision.  

For example, if you look at a clock, you will see its numbers but not its hands.  The condition is seen in those aged 50 & above. It affects the younger population, too, due to several factors.

Risk factors:

There can be other risk factors, such as

  • Genetics
  • High blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • Consumption of a diet high in saturated fats
  • Ethnicity may affect
Stages:

There are three stages through which this condition passes.

  1. Early: Your macula changes without affecting your vision.
  2. Middle: Blurry or wavy vision.
  3. Advanced: Total failure of central vision.
Types:

 There are two types of macular degeneration.

  1. Dry macular degeneration: It comprises most of the cases in this condition. Here, parts of your macula get thinner with age and tiny clumps of protein ‘Drusen’ grow. So, you may have pigment abnormalities or geographic atrophy.
  2. Wet macular degeneration: Though less common, it’s the most serious. Here, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and leak blood or other fluids, scarring the macula. So, in this case, you lose vision faster.
Symptoms:
  • Blurry & low vision
  • Dark spots in vision
  • Less visibility in low light
  • Straight lines appear curvy or wavy
  • Changes in the way you see colours
Diagnosis:

The following diagnosis methods help detect the condition.

  1. Pupil dilation: Your eye specialist examines your retina by widening your pupils using eye drops.
  2. Visual acuity test: This is the common eye chart test your eye specialist will perform to measure your vision at various distances.
  3. Amsler grid: It detects wet macular degeneration using a checkerboard-like grid. It checks if the straight lines in the pattern appear wavy or absent to the patient. 
  4. Fluorescein angiography: It detects wet macular degeneration using a special dye injection into the vein in your arm. Hence, as the dye passes through the veins, images taken help your eye specialist determine if the blood vessels are leaking and if treatment is possible or not.
Treatment:

As of now, there is no treatment for dry macular degeneration. Therefore, low-vision devices and visual rehabilitation programs can help develop new visual skills to adjust to the condition.

In the case of wet macular degeneration, anti-VEGF medications help. It stands for vascular endothelial growth factor. So, these medications reduce the damaging effects of leaky abnormal blood vessels. Also they may also stabilise vision in many patients.

How to lower the risk:

You can make healthy choices such as engaging in regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining healthy BP and cholesterol levels. 

So, your choices can make a difference to your condition, though it may not be completely curable. Hence, make sure you undergo regular eye checkups and take preventive measures to maintain good eyesight.

Sharat Maxivision is the best eye hospital in Warangal. Hence, if you feel that you may have symptoms of macular degeneration, please feel free to consult our expert eye specialists.

How to choose the right Contact Lenses
Contact Lenses

Contact lenses correct vision problems, including myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness) and astigmatism (a combination of near-sightedness & far-sightedness). They give you the advantage of going around without the need to wear spectacles. You can’t wear them all day due to the risk of an eye infection. 

You should consult an optometrist before deciding on the contact lenses suited for you. The lenses for each person depends on individual requirements such as long-term or short-term lenses, vision problem, usage, risk of infection, etc. 

Factors that help you choose the right contact lenses

Choosing the right contact lenses can be quite a daunting task, with many factors to be considered carefully. Seek your doctor’s advice.  

Let’s look at the factors that come into play when choosing one –

  1. Types of Contact Lenses: There are bifocal, multifocal, near-sighted and far-sighted lenses available. Bifocals help see near and far. But Multifocals contain all kinds of lenses, including bifocals, trifocals and other lenses in soft and rigid setups. Gas permeable and Toric lenses help correct astigmatism, near-sightedness & far-sightedness.
  2. Soft & Rigid Contact lenses: Soft contacts are used more, especially by first-time users. Silicone hydrogel or flexible hydrogel contacts allow better airflow to the eyes. Rigid contacts provide good visual acuity, resist deposit build-up & sound cheaper in the long run.  Plus, they’re gas permeable.
  3. Duration of wear: You can wear contacts over a day, overnight or several days.
  • You can use single-day contacts for hygiene & maintenance purposes
  • Certain contacts allow good oxygen flow into the eyes and hence worn overnight with doctors’ approval
  • Soft lenses can be worn for up to one week to one month, depending on the doctor’s suggestion
  1. Special needs: For certain needs such as infections, allergies or even driving, reading, etc., contact lenses are the best. Multifocal contacts allow you to adjust to multiple needs.
  2. Coloured contact lenses: You may use coloured contacts for attractive looks or special effects such as cat eyes. Get the doctor’s prescription to ensure the right fit and avoid side effects.
  3. The cost factor: The price of contact lenses will be an important factor in deciding the lenses you’ll be wearing. They vary according to your requirements, as prescribed by your doctor, such as astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia and others. The quality of lenses, duration of usage, and the brand is other important factor in deciding the same.

Follow your doctor’s advice for a hassle-free experience

Ultimately, your doctor is the best expert in guiding you through the process of getting yourself contact lenses. Even if you’re wearing them for fun or if you have the best vision.

Hence, keep these points in mind while getting yourself contact lenses. Don’t ignore them; your eyes are a delicate organ and an essential part of your life. Also, please don’t try someone else’s lenses to avoid risking infections.

We, at Sharat Maxivision, have been helping patients use contact lenses. We deal with some of the world’s best brands, and our skilled doctors can recommend you the right one. You’re most welcome to contact us best eye hospital in warangal if you ever need our assistance.