Autoimmune Disorders of the Joints and Nerves
What Are The Stages Of Macular Degeneration?
Three stages of macular degeneration exist: early, intermediate, and late. Earlier stages of macular degeneration sometimes have no symptoms, but as it progresses, some blurriness or other vision changes may occur.
Macular degeneration is a common cause of vision loss in older adults. While it doesn't cause complete vision loss or blindness, losing central vision can make it hard to do everyday activities like work, read, drive, or watch television.
There are three stages of macular degeneration. This article explores each stage and how your symptoms may change with each stage.
Macular degeneration is an eye disease that causes vision loss in the center of your field of vision. This is due to damage to the part of the retina called the macula. When it's age-related, it mostly occurs in adults ages 50 and older.
Macular degeneration can be a progressive disease, which means it gets worse over time. However, in some cases, it will not change from its initial presentation.
There are three stages of macular degeneration: early, intermediate, and late. Each stage has different and progressively worse symptoms.
EarlyEarly dry macular degeneration often does not present any symptoms, and it can be hard to diagnose.
In some cases, macular degeneration can progress beyond this early stage. That is why eye care professionals advise seeing your eye doctor regularly to diagnose potential issues and begin treatment as soon as possible.
IntermediateAlthough some people with second-stage macular degeneration still show no symptoms, others may notice mild symptoms, including blurry central vision or trouble seeing at night or in low lighting.
LateThe last stage of macular degeneration is the most severe. It's also known as late dry macular degeneration or geographic atrophy (GA).
Late-stage macular degeneration can be dangerous for driving. You may notice blurriness in your central vision that gets worse as time passes or have blank spots in your vision. You may notice that previously straight lines look crooked or wavy. You may also have difficulty with night vision, and your interpretation of color may also worsen.
Macular degeneration at this stage cannot be reversed. However, a retinal specialist can offer effective therapies to preserve your eyesight as much as possible.
Wet macular degeneration presents at this advanced stage.
Can macular degeneration cause blindness?Macular degeneration does not cause total blindness, but its effects can significantly affect a person's day-to-day life.
Dry macular degeneration symptoms develop gradually over time and are usually painless. Symptoms may include:
These symptoms may appear mild at first, such as mild blurriness or difficulty with sight only in low light. However, as the condition progresses, these can become more pronounced.
If you have wet macular degeneration, you may see blank spots and straight lines appear wavy or crooked. As this progresses, these spots and lines can grow in size and opacity.
Yes, it is possible to have macular degeneration in any stage in one eye and not the other. Or both eyes may be in different stages of macular degeneration simultaneously.
However, having late-stage macular degeneration or wet macular degeneration in one eye does put you at higher risk of developing late-stage dry macular degeneration or wet macular degeneration in the other eye.
Although rare, it's possible to have both dry and wet macular degeneration in the same eye. You may also have dry macular degeneration in one eye and wet macular degeneration in the other.
Treatments may vary depending on the severity and progression of your macular degeneration.
There is no known cure for dry macular degeneration nor known treatments to reverse the effects on vision.
However, to help slow down the early stages of dry macular degeneration, eye health experts may suggest AREDS2 supplements. These contain a combination of the following:
Macular degeneration is an extremely common condition in older adults and is one of the leading causes of vision loss in the United States. There are three stages of macular degeneration: early, intermediate, and late (geographic atrophy, or GA).
The earlier stages of macular degeneration sometimes have no symptoms at all. However, as the disease progresses, blurry vision, blank spots, trouble with night vision, and other vision changes may occur.
Macular Degeneration Resource Center
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Key To Unlocking The Secret Of Degenerative Brain Disorders Found
image:
Molecular Design for Selective Labeling of Neuronal Membranes
view moreCredit: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, along with stroke, are among the top three neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by the malfunction and progressive degeneration of neurons, the nerve cells. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these neurological disorders and developing therapies requires labeling technologies that can visualize neuronal changes not only in normal conditions but also in disease states.
A research team led by Dr. Kim Yun Kyung from the Brain Science Institute at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), in collaboration with Professor Chang Young-Tae's team from Pohang University of Science and Technology, has announced the development of a next-generation neuron labeling technology called NeuM. NeuM (Neuronal Membrane-selective) selectively labels neuronal membranes, visualizing neuronal structures and allowing real-time monitoring of neuronal changes.
Neurons continuously modify their structure and function to transmit information from sensory organs to the brain, regulating thoughts, memories, and behaviors. Therefore, to overcome degenerative neurological diseases, it is essential to develop techniques that selectively label living neurons for real-time monitoring. However, current gene-based and antibody-based labeling technologies, commonly used to observe neurons, suffer from low accuracy and difficulty in long-term tracking due to their dependence on specific gene expression or proteins.
NeuM, developed by the research team through molecular design of neuronal cells, possesses excellent binding affinity to neuronal membranes, enabling long-term tracking and high-resolution imaging of neurons. The fluorescent probes within NeuM bind to neuronal membranes utilizing the activity of living cells, emitting fluorescent signals upon excitation by specific wavelengths of light. This visualization of neuronal membranes allows for detailed observation of neuronal terminal structures and high-resolution monitoring of neuronal differentiation and interactions.
NeuM, as the first technology to stain cell membranes through endocytosis in living neurons, exhibits selective reactivity towards living cells, excluding dead cells without internalization. Moreover, the research team has succeeded in extending the observation time of neurons from a mere 6 hours to up to 72 hours, enabling the capture of dynamic changes in living neurons over an extended period in response to environmental changes.
NeuM is expected to provide insights into research and therapy development for degenerative neurological diseases, for which there are currently no cures. These diseases, including Alzheimer's, result from neuronal damage due to the production of toxic proteins such as amyloid and the influx of inflammatory substances. NeuM's precise observation of neuronal changes can effectively facilitate the evaluation of candidate therapeutic compounds.
Dr. Kim stated, "NeuM, developed this time, can distinguish aging and degenerating neurons, becoming a crucial tool in elucidating the mechanisms of degenerative brain disorders and developing treatments." He further added, "In the future, we plan to refine NeuM for even more precise analysis of neurons by designing fluorescence wavelengths to distinguish colors such as green and red."
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KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST's website at https://eng.Kist.Re.Kr/
This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Lee Jong-ho) through KIST's major projects and the Dementia Overcoming Project (RS-2023-00261784). The research results have been published in the latest issue of the international academic journal "Angewandte Chemie."
JournalAngewandte Chemie
Article TitleNeuM: A Neuron-Selective Probe Incorporates into Live Neuronal Membranes via Enhanced Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis in Primary Neruons
Article Publication Date15-Jan-2024
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! Are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! By contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.
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