Age-Related
Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of permanent vision loss
and low vision for Americans over the age of 55. It is estimated it affects as
many as 15 million people in the country.
The number is expected to grow to close to 30 million in the next 10-20
years. Low vision is the result of permanent vision reducing eye diseases
like macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration is a progressive disease that leads
to damage to cells in the retina in the back of the eye. More precisely, it affects the straight ahead
vision in the macula. When the macula is
damaged people describe their vision as “cloudy” or “misty” or even
“distorted”. In the advancing stages
there are “blind spots” or “missing pieces” in the central vision making
reading the newspaper very difficult or impossible.
“People with living with macular degeneration often have
difficulty with important everyday tasks we all take for granted. This takes its toll physically and mentally
on patients and their families,” says Dr. Kinkade.
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| Dr. Kinkade with External Telescopic Simulator |
“Rehabilitation options like Spectacle Miniature
Telescopes and Implantable Miniature Telescopes provide better vision,” says
Dr. Kinkade. “Electronic magnification
aids improve contrast and reading ability”.
Spectacle
Miniature Telescopes (SMTs) are emerging as a tremendous option for many
patients with vision limiting conditions.
Tiny telescopes, providing magnification and clarity, are prescribed
into glasses with the patient’s prescription built in. Dr. Kinkade is using newly designed SMTs.
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| Patient with Spectacle Miniature Telescope |
Implantable Miniature
Telescopes (IMTs) are providing a new surgical treatment for some older
patients with advanced macular generation.
A micro-telescope replaces a developing cataract in one eye. Dr. Kinkade is part of the first doctor team
in Connecticut to offering the IMT.
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| Patient with Implantable Miniature Telescope |
Electronic
Magnification Aids offer tremendous magnification and improved contrast for
reading. They are available in hand-held
and desk-top units. The monitor size
varies depending on the design and application.
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| Patient with Electronic Video Magnifier (CCTV) |
About Macular Degeneration
There are two form of AMD. Dry (atrophic) AMD is caused
by a slow breakdown of the light-sensitive cells in the macula at the back of
the eye. There is no current treatment
for this form of AMD
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| Dry Macular Degeneration |
In wet (exudative) AMD, fluid and blood leaks behind the
macula damaging the photoreceptors needed for vision. A series of injections can now often stop the
advancement of this form of AMD.
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| Wet Macular Degeneration |
In their later stages both wet and dry AMD cause legal blindness.
The true causes of macular degeneration remain unclear. It is known that advancing age is the
greatest risk factor for this disease.
Contributing factors are believed to be nutrition, smoking, genetics and
possibly exposure to ultraviolet light.
About Dr. Randolph Kinkade
Dr. Kinkade as a master of public health degree (MPH) from the University of Connecticut where he concentrated his studies on the prevalence and treatment of low vision.
He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry Low Vision Section and a member of the Vision Rehabilitation Section of the American Optometric Association.
He has offices throughout Connecticut: Cheshire, Danbury,Farmington, Litchfield, Manchester, Norwalk and Waterford.
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