The Dilemma of Macular Degeneration Essay -- Vision Sight Disorders Es

The Dilemma of Macular Degeneration According to Baily and Hall, while visual impairment early in life is associated with inherited congenital disorders, abnormal fetal devepment, and problems associated with premature birth, most eye conditions are associated with aging. They claim that over 70% of the visually impaired population in the United States is over 65. Age related maculopathy, also called macular degeneration, or AMD, impairs the center of vision in older individuals. The macula is the region in the back of the retina that surrounds and includes the fovea (Goldstein 1999). It is important to understand that when this degeneration progresses enough, the condition constitutes blindness because the foveal area is what is used to focus on something. Most cases do not progress this far, but between five and 20% do. Allikments and Shroyer claim that 11 million people in the United States alone suffer some degree of this impairment, with 75% of those individuals being 75 or older. Seven percent of this older age g roup reportedly suffer advanced forms. Freidman reports the disease as most common in developed countries. The high percentages of individuals who endure this impairment justifies and practically demands future research because the causes are not fully understood. The need for future research can be better emphasized if those with normal vision try to empathize with victims of macular degeneration. One can only imagine how frustrating it must be to receive sensatrions only in the periphery of the retina. Because the macula encompassed the cone rich fovea, which is used to focus on objects, the fovea degenerates as well. This occurence inables individuals to interpret the sensations they experience. Reading, ... ... 385-389. Guyer, David R., (1997). Interferon alpha 2a is ineffective for patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to age related macular degeneration: results of a prospective randomized placebo-controlledclinical trial. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 278(18), 1470. Hunter, M., (1997). Blocking blindness. McLeans, 110 (21), 62. Langer, Stephen, (1996). Set your sights on better nutrition. Better Nutrition, 58 (4), 58. Ruckmann, Adrea von, Fitzke, Fredrick W., & Bird, Alan C., (1997). Fundus autofluorescence in age related macular disease imaged with a laser scanning opthalmoscope. Investigative Opthamology and Visual Science, 38 (2), 478-485. Spraul, Christoph W., Lang, Gabriel E., Grossniklaus, Hans E., & Lang, Gerhard D., (1998). Choroidal blood flow in AMD. Investigative Opthamology and Visual Science, 39 (11), 2201.