Around 11 million people have macular degeneration today. At InSight Retina Consultants, P.C., esteemed retina specialist Dennis O’Connell, DO, offers macular degeneration diagnosis and treatment to help you slow this degenerative condition and preserve your vision. There are offices in Aurora and Denver, Colorado, so reach out by phone or through the online scheduling tool now.
Macular degeneration is an eye disease that occurs within the macula, the middle part of your retina. The macula controls visual acuity, which means it gives you sharp central sight and is particularly important in seeing fine details.
Macular degeneration occurs mainly in adults over 55, and grows more common as you age. The two primary forms of macular degeneration are:
Dry macular degeneration is by far the most common form of the disease. With this type of macular degeneration, your macula starts thinning and breaking down over time. Small protein deposits (drusen) crop up beneath your retina. This all combines to cause gradual vision loss.
Wet macular degeneration, which occurs in about 20% of cases, occurs when unhealthy new blood vessels develop beneath the retina. Because those blood vessels are highly fragile, they commonly leak, which leads to macular scarring. This more severe form of the disease can cause much faster vision loss.
Both types of macular degeneration can cause irreversible vision loss, making it very important to have regular eye exams so Dr. O'Connell can diagnose the disease early.
Dr. O'Connell conducts a comprehensive dilated eye exam to view your retina closely. He may use a variety of state-of-the-art imaging tests to get the most detailed views, including optical coherence tomography, B scan ultrasonography, digital fluorescein angiography, color fundus photography, and indocyanine green angiography.
These tests allow him to find macular degeneration in even its earliest forms, before you ever have any vision loss.
There's no medical treatment for dry macular degeneration, but in some cases, a combination of specific nutritional supplements can help prevent disease progression. Dr. O'Connell can discuss dosage and specific supplements with you if you're a good candidate for this approach.
Anti-VEGF drugs are the standard treatment for wet macular degeneration. Dr. O'Connell can inject these medications into your eye to minimize new blood vessel growth and reduce leakage.
If you have macular degeneration, close monitoring is extremely important. Dr. O'Connell can help you to preserve the vision you have by taking action as soon as any changes occur.
Book your appointment by calling InSight Retina Consultants, P.C., or clicking on the online scheduler now.
