Is Macular Degeneration Hereditary?

Several of the genes associated with AMD have been identified and as a result we may see genetic screening tests sometime in the future.

Consider these numbers:

-Approximately one fourth of all late-stage macular degeneration appears to be related to genetics.
-The lifetime risk of developing late-stage AMD is 50% for people who have a relative with AMD vs 12% for people who’s relatives do not have AMD (4x the risk).

If you have first-degree relatives with late-stage AMD you will develop it at an increased rate at a younger age. (Arch Ophthalmol.1998;116:1646-51) AMD is a silent and painless loss of central vision due to the degeneration or dying of cells in the retina, called the macula.

First, it is important to realize that what is lost is the central portion of your sight – what you see right in front of you like the face of a person or the words in a book. Peripheral or side vision is still there. It is NOT blindness, but rather low vision. As the leading cause of vision loss in the aging population in the U. S. this central loss of vision makes it difficult to read, drive, perform daily tasks and to recognize faces. Treatment is very limited and is aimed at preventing further vision loss, but does not restore lost vision.

If you find these statistics a bit alarming, consider taking preventative measures to reduce your chances of developing this retinal disease. It is much easier to prevent AMD than it is to treat it. If you’d like to know more about macular degeneration prevention go to http://webrn-maculardegeneration.com/macular-degeneration-prevention.html