AMD, and in the early stages is often asymptomatic. As it progresses, AMD produces a dark spot or a “shadow” in the center of vision, which gets progressively larger. Also, straight lines may become wavy as the central macula buckles. Since symptoms are an unreliable measure of AMD, then, the only way to determine the presence of AMD is to have regular eye examinations starting in middle age.
....Depending on what kind of AMD a person has and how far along it is, treatment choices include:
• laser therapy (“photo-coagulation”), in which the bleeding vessels are burned or coagulated
• photodynamic therapy, in which a dye that’s injected into the arm travels to the blood vessels in the eye, where it is activated by a laser, with the ensuing chemical reaction sealing off the leaking vessels
• Macugen (the newest therapy), an injected drug that’s supposed to stop the growth of new blood vessels
• anti-oxidant preparations consisting of vitamins A, E, C, lutein, as well as zinc, and copper, a therapy that’s aimed at dry AMD (the other treatments are used for wet AMD),
• rheophoresis, a relatively new process that’s said to “filter” the blood of substances harmful to the eyes, and
• some real 21st century stuff (well, we are in the 21st century, aren’t we?) such as using radiation to plug the bleeding vessels, inserting a telescope into the eye, not unlike lenses that are inserted in cataract surgery, and even “artificial” retinas.
....By the way, if someone (probably a woman) can explain this to me, I’d much appreciate it: why is it less important to know who holds the Canadian Football League record for rouges, (and isn’t it a shame that rouges are now known as single points?), than it is to know the date of your anniversary? After all, there are lots of anniversaries, but only one rouge record holder. I just don’t get it.

Dr. Art Hister can be heard on CKNW and other Corus Radio Network stations on House Calls on Saturdays at 10 AM, as well as seen on Global TV news on Saturday mornings at 9:20.