Drusen
The most
common early sign of
age related
macular degeneration (ARMD) is drusen. Drusen
are yellow deposits under the
retina. They are often
found in people over age 60.
Dr. Deupree can detect drusen during a
comprehensive
dilated eye exam.
Drusen alone do not usually cause vision loss. In
fact, scientists are unclear about the connection
between drusen and ARMD. They do know that an
increase in the size or number of drusen raises a
person's risk of developing either advanced dry ARMD
or wet ARMD. These changes can lead to vision
loss.
Drusen occur in two different forms: hard and soft
drusen. It is the soft drusen that are more
predisposed to wet macular degeneration occurrence,
especially when they clump together. They can
be associated with CNVM, a
network of abnormal, leaky blood vessels.
Patients with soft drusen should get regular
dilated
eye exams.
More about macular
degeneration
Ref: National Eye Institute |
