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A recent article in the Washington Post personalizes the daily fears and worries of individuals who have macular degeneration. As the population ages, age-related macular degeneration becomes a prevalent health issue for many. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over 60. Although there is no cure for AMD, individuals with it need to monitor their eyesight carefully and visit their eye doctor on a regular basis. Treatments are available that can delay or reduce the severity of the disease. Early diagnosis is a key factor in slowing the progression.
The major risk factors for macular degeneration are aging, heredity and smoking. Early stages of macular degeneration have few symptoms, other than a subtle change in vision. The first real sign is usually a distortion of straight lines, followed by a gradual loss of central vision and diminished color perception.
Diagnosis of macular degeneration is usually detected during a routine eye exam by the presence of drusen (yellow deposits under the retina). Additional testing determines the degree and severity of the macular degeneration. Several treatment options available include:
Although a couple of experimental surgical treatments are being researched, individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) must be realistic in their expectations for a “miracle cure” and continue to test their vision regularly and follow up with ophthalmologist to help slow vision loss.
Johns Hopkins Medicine publishes a free guide to the causes, prevention strategies, warning signs and symptoms, as well as treatment options for macular degeneration. Other sources for information about AMD include:
It is important for physicians to diagnosis the condition early on and prescribe appropriate treatment so the patient’s eye-sight can best be preserved.
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About the author:
Mr. Zambri is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Attorney and Past-President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. He has been acknowledged by Washingtonian magazine as a “Big Gun” and among the “top 1%” of all of the more than 80,000 lawyers in the Washington metropolitan area. The magazine also acknowledged him as “one of Washington’s best–most honest and effective lawyers” who specializes in medical malpractice matters, product liability claims, and serious automobile accident claims. Mr. Zambri was recently (2011 edition) acknowledged as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” by Best Lawyers and has also been repeatedly named a “Super Lawyer” by Law and Politics magazine (2010)–national publications that honor the top lawyers in the country.
Mr. Zambri is regularly asked to present seminars to lawyers and doctors, as well as both medical and law students concerning medication errors, medical malpractice litigation, and safety improvements.
If you have any questions about your legal rights, please email Mr. Zambri at [email protected] or call him at 202-822-1899.
