Also called: Also called: Age-related macular degeneration, AMD
Macular degeneration, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 and older. It is a disease that destroys your sharp, central vision. You need central vision to see objects clearly and to do tasks such as reading and driving.
AMD affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. It does not hurt, but it causes cells in the macula to die. In some cases, AMD advances so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in both eyes. Regular comprehensive eye exams can detect macular degeneration before the disease causes vision loss. Treatment can slow vision loss. It does not restore vision.
National Eye Institute
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration
(National Eye Institute) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/agerelatedmaculardegeneration/toc.html
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration
(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/amd_paciente.asp -
Macular Degeneration
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/maculardegeneration/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/maculardegenerationspanish/htm/index.htm
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/index.asp
- Dry Macular Degeneration(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/macular-degeneration/DS00284/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
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JAMA Patient Page: Age-Related Macular Degeneration(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/295/20/2438.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/295/20/2438/DC1/1
- Macular Degeneration(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZJ4YZNH4C&sub_cat=2013
- Genes Give Clues to Age-Linked Eye Trouble(10/07/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70110.html
- Antioxidant-Rich Diet May Protect against Eye Disease(08/29/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68725.html
- Gene Linked to 'Dry' Macular Degeneration(08/27/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68628.html
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Test - Amsler Grid(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/eye_tests/amd_test.html
- Treatments(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/treatments/treatments.php
- Eye Exams: What to Expect(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/eye-exams.cfm
- How Often Should I Have an Eye Exam?(Prevent Blindness America) - http://www.preventblindness.org/eye_tests/near_vision_recom.html
- Prevention and Early Detection(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/preventionandearlydetection/overview.php
- What Can I Do about It?(Macular Degeneration Partnership) - http://www.amd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=What_Can_I_Do
- Acupuncture for Age-Related Macular Degeneration(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/alternative-therapies/acupunture-amd.cfm
- Antioxidant Supplements and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/alternative-therapies/antioxidant-supplements-amd.cfm
- Nutrition's Role(Macular Degeneration Partnership) - http://www.amd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Nutrition
- Rehabilitation(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/rehabilitation/overview.php
- Low Vision Aids(Macular Degeneration Partnership) - http://www.amd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Low_Vision_Aids
- Types of AMD(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/basicfacts/typesofamd.php
- Adjusting to Vision Loss(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/adjustingtovisionloss/overview.php
- AMD and Caregivers(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/caregivers/overview.php
- AMD and Depression(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/depression/overview.php
- Driving When You Have Macular Degeneration(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Driving_macular/
- Questions to Ask Your Eye Care Professional(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/basicfacts/questions.php
- Sighted Guide Technique(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/caregivers/sightedguidetechnique.php
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration(National Eye Institute) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/agerelatedmaculardegeneration/toc.html
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Macular Degeneration(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/maculardegeneration/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/maculardegenerationspanish/htm/index.htm
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If I Had - Central Vision Blurring(Insidermedicine) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.insidermedicine.com/Archives/If_I_Had_-_Central_Visual_Blurring_-_Dr_Carl_Regillo_MD_2006.aspx?p=mdlnp
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If I Had - Macular Degeneration(Insidermedicine) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.insidermedicine.com/Archives/If_I_Had_-_Macular_Degeneration_-_Dr_Joan_Miller_MD_2238.aspx?p=mdlnp
- Anatomy of the Eye(Macular Degeneration Partnership) - http://www.amd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Anatomy_of_the_Eye
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Diagram of the Eye(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/eyediagram/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/diagrama_ojo.asp
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Macular Degeneration(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Macular+Degeneration%22
- Clinical Trials(Macular Degeneration Partnership) - http://www.amd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Clinical_Trials
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Age-Related Eye Disease Study--Results(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/amd/index.asp
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)(National Eye Institute) - Links to PDF - http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/MacularDegeneration.pdf
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Research(AMD Alliance International) - http://www.amdalliance.org/information/treatments/research.php
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Barbados Eye Study Confirms Lower Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Population of African Descent(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/researchnews/barbados.asp
- Ongoing Research for Dry AMD and Wet AMD(Macular Degeneration Partnership) - http://www.amd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Ongoing_Investigations
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: By the way, doctor. My ophthalmologist says I have drusen... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18822520&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The relationship of dietary omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18779490&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Long term results of age-related macular degeneration therapy with prednisolone... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18756880&tool=MedlinePlus
- Macular Degeneration -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=macular+degeneration[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary(Macular Degeneration Partnership) - http://www.amd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Glossary
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Eye Health Organizations Database(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/resourceSearch.asp
- Find an Eye M.D.(American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.aao.org/aao/eyemd_disclaimer.cfm
- Find Services for People with Vision Loss(American Foundation for the Blind) - http://www.afb.org/services.asp
- American Academy of Ophthalmology - http://www.aao.org/
- American Optometric Association - http://www.aoa.org/
- Macular Degeneration Partnership - http://www.amd.org/
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National Eye Institute - http://www.nei.nih.gov/
- Stargardt Disease(Foundation Fighting Blindness) - http://www.blindness.org/index.php?view=article&catid=38%3Aother-retinal-diseases&id=245%3Astargardt-disease&option=com_content&Itemid=88
- Eye Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eyediseases.html
- Vision Impairment and Blindness - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/visionimpairmentandblindness.html
- Eyes and Vision - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eyesandvision.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Macular Degeneration is the National Eye Institute - http://www.nei.nih.gov/