If untreated, macular degeneration causes a gradual loss of vision
Normal vision
Blurred and distorted vision
Complete central vision loss
What you need to know
What's the chance?
In New Zealand macular degeneration affects 1 in 7 people over the age of 50 years
Family history
People with a family history of macular degeneration have a 50% chance of inheriting the genetic predisposition to develop macular degeneration
Is treatment important?
Yes, if untreated, the majority of people with wet macular degeneration become functionally blind within 2 years
It’s common
Age related macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness
Smoking
Smokers have 3 times the risk of developing macular degeneration and tend to develop macular degeneration 10 years earlier than non-smokers
It’s getting worse
It is estimated the number of people with macular degeneration will increase by 70% by 2030
The Cost to New Zealand: $391,000,000 Every Year
“An increase in awareness and education of AMD would lead to reduced burden of Macular Degeneration through timely and adequate provision of treatments.”
“Investing in awareness and education would require substantial funding from other parties, including government and private sector.”
Deloitte Access Economics: Socioeconomic cost of magular degeneration in New Zealand, Oct 2016
This simple test could save your sight.
Charles Bonnet Syndrome
Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a common condition among people with severe vision loss. It is characterised by temporary visual hallucinations.
CBS is a condition specifically related to vision loss and it should not be mistaken for dementia or any other condition. It is a phenomenon of visually impaired people seeing things that they know are not real.
Visual hallucinations or phantom images can be extremely vivid and realistic and range from simple, repetitive patterns to detailed images of people, animals or buildings.
About 30% of people who experience major vision loss experience this. The images are a consequence of losing sight whereby the brain attempts to compensate for the gaps in vision. The signs and symptoms of Charles Bonnet Syndrome include:
Significant vision loss
Visual hallucinations
No control over the hallucinations
A realisation that the hallucinations aren't real.
Stargardt disease
While Macular Degeneration is normally associated with ageing eyes, an inherited form known as Stargardt's disease can affect children and young adults. Stargardt disease is a bilateral inherited retinal dystrophy usually affecting the central retina, the macula, resulting in a deterioration of the central vision.