Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease affecting more than 10 million Americans. It is the leading cause of vision loss in those aged 55 or older in the U.S. Macular degeneration is the degeneration of the macula, the part of the retina responsible for the sharp, central vision needed for driving and reading.

There are two forms of macular degeneration: wet and dry. The dry form is more common than the wet form, and the wet form leads to more serious vision loss. Know the signs and symptoms of this disease, as early detection is key to stopping further damage.

Dry Macular Degeneration

Dry macular degeneration is an early stage of the disease. It is a result of aging and thinning macular tissues, depositing of pigment in the macula or a combination of the two. This disease is diagnosed when yellow spot, called drusen, begin to form in the macula. Gradual central vision loss will occur with dry macular degeneration, although not quite as severe as wet macular degeneration. However, dry macular degeneration can slowly progress to late-stage geographic atrophy, causing severe vision loss.

Wet Macular Degeneration

Around 10 percent of dry macular degeneration cases will progress into wet macular degeneration. With this form, new blood vessels will grow beneath the retina and leak fluid and blood. This causes permanent damage to retinal cells, causing them to die off and leave blind spots in central vision. There are FDA approved treatments for wet macular degeneration, which include drugs called Lucentis, Eylea, Macugen and Visudyne used with Photodynamic Therapy or PDT.

Signs & Symptoms

Most cases of macular degeneration will occur with gradual, painless vision loss. In rare cases, vision loss may be sudden. Some early signs of macular degeneration include:

fuzzy, distorted vision
shadowy areas in central vision
crooked central vision
decrease in the intensity of colors
the need for brighter light when reading
hallucinations of geometric shapes or people, in case of advanced macular degeneration

If you notice any of these symptoms, please make an appointment with us as soon as possible.

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I have had dry eyes for a quite sometime and had seen several physicians and got eye drops etc but not until I have seen Dr. Benjamin I found how serious problem that it was. I had the most thorough and individual attention by Dr. Benjamin. He explained to me my problem and treatment options available. Dr. Benjamin and His staff are very caring and they spend as much time with you as needed and one feels taken care of. I was given state of the art treatment for my dry eyes and my eyes went from feeling tired , red , scratchy and itchy to brilliantly glowing clear. Office is very serene and staff is attentive, pleasant and smiling. Dr. Benjamin is very down to earth and explains thoroughly that one understands what alis them. I will definitely keep coming back for all my eye issues.
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4/25/2019

I wish I had come to Dr. Benjamin years ago!!!

I have been hopping around between 3 eye doctors in the last few years complaining of severe eye pain, redness - so bad I haven't been able to wear contacts for a year. Every other doctor made a diagnosis in 2 minutes, prescribed a few things and sent me on my way. Nothing helped and the doctors kept saying my eyes looked fine despite my symptoms. Finally I saw Dr. Benjamin, and he listened to my concerns from top to bottom and did tests the other doctors never did! He made a brand new diagnosis which finally makes sense and fits my symptoms. He spent almost an hour with me which is unbelievable. I am so impressed with this place, even the front desk and other staff were so friendly. I'm so relieved and am looking forward to making a recovery with Dr. Benjamin and eventually getting LASIK.