Macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that may get worse over time. It’s the leading cause of severe, permanent vision loss in people over age 60. It happens when the small central portion of your retina, called the macula, wears down. The retina is the light-sensing nerve tissue at the back of your eye. Because the disease happens as you get older, it’s often called age-related macular degeneration. It usually doesn’t cause blindness but may cause severe vision problems.
Macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that may get worse over time. It’s the leading cause of severe, permanent vision loss in people over age 60. It happens when the small central portion of your retina, called the macula, wears down. The retina is the light-sensing nerve tissue at the back of your eye. Because the disease happens as you get older, it’s often called age-related macular degeneration. It usually doesn’t cause blindness but may cause severe vision problems.
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a term for a group of eye diseases that can lead to loss of sight. What they have in common are specific changes your doctor sees when they look at your retina — a bundle of tissue at the back of your eye. When you have Retinitis Pigmentosa, cells in the retina called photoreceptors don’t work the way they’re supposed to, and over time, you lose your sight.
Corneal dystrophies are a group of rare genetic eye disorders. With corneal dystrophies, abnormal material builds up in the cornea. Most corneal dystrophies affect both eyes. They progress slowly and run in families. Corneal dystrophies are caused by the build-up of foreign material in one or more of the five layers of the cornea. The material may cause the cornea to lose its transparency. This can cause loss of vision or blurred vision.
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs when diabetes affects the blood vessels and nerve tissue in the retina. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels in the retina may swell and leak fluid. In others, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These changes may result in severe vision loss.
Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive eye disease caused by damage to the optic nerve, which leads to visual field loss. One of the major risk factors is eye pressure. An abnormality in the eye’s drainage system can cause fluid to build up, leading to excessive pressure that causes damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the retina with the brain. This damage leads to loss of eyesight.