Eyes like all other organs in the body undergo wear and tear. As we age, this wear and tear starts to affect the vision. Age-related macular degeneration as the name suggests is a macular disease which mostly develops after a person reaches middle age. Malfunctioning of the light sensing cells in the macula is the cause of AMD.

Retina, situated at the back of eye, is the light-sensitive tissue which transmits the images we see to the brain as electrical impulses. Macula is a part of the retina and is responsible for the sharp central vision needed for reading, driving, distinguishing colors and for perceiving fine details.

Age-related macular degeneration robs the center part of anything a person views. For example, if the person affected with AMD looks at a photograph of a person, he will be able to only see the outermost regions of the photograph and the center portions will be blurred or partially black and therefore the person will not be able to identify the photograph. AMD rarely leads to total blindness.

It is estimated that about 15 million people in the United States are suffering from Age-related macular degeneration and around two million new cases are diagnosed annually. AMD is the main cause of vision loss in adults over 60. Around 25% of the population in the age group of 65 to 75 is suffering from AMD. The numbers go even high for adults over 75.

Causes of AMD

The exact cause of AMD still eludes the ophthalmologists. But certain risk factors have been identified.

Aging: Aging process is believed to be the main reason for AMD. It is estimated that about 10% of the total population of the world in the age group of 66 to 74 years is suffering from the disease. The percentage of people getting affected by AMD increases as the aging process increases.

Smoking: Researches in macular degeneration have found that smoking increases the risk of AMD.

Gender: Women are more prone to AMD than men.

Race: The disease is found more in white people than in black people.

Family history: The chances of a person developing AMD is high if the person's family has a history of AMD.

Color of the eye: People with blue eyes are more prone to AMD. This is because blue eyes have less protective pigment which neutralizes the ultraviolet light effect.

Diet: Researches have identified high fat intake as a major reason for the development of AMD.

Other diseases leading to AMD: People suffering from hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol can develop age-related macular degeneration.

Sunlight: It is believed that over exposure of the eyes to sun increases the risk of AMD. But this continues to be a debated issue as certain studies does not agree with the view point.

Latest researches point that the accumulation of pro-oxidant melanin oligomers within lysosomes of retinal pigment epithelium is the cause of AMD. As there is a constant increase annually in the number of patients suffering age-related macular degeneration, more and more researches are being conducted to determine the exact cause of the disease.