The Fovea and Macular Degeneration
What Role Does it Play in Macular Degeneration?The fovea is critical for our vision. It is the part of the eye we use when we are focused on reading a page, looking at a picture, or seeing a face. Here are some facts about this critical region of our retina: √ Located in the center of the macula √ Responsible for sharp, detailed vision √ Responsible for straight ahead or central vision needed for reading, seeing faces, watching TV √ Absent of blood vessels so it gets its oxygen from the choroid layer of the retina √ Made up mainly of cone cells (photoreceptor cells responsible for color vision). It does not have rod cells. It has the densest concentration of cones in the eye. √ Latin, meaning pit or pitfall. There is in fact a small depression or dimple in the macula √ The very center is the foveola
Choroidal Neovascularization and Wet Macular Degeneration TreatmentThe treatment for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is dependent on where the leaky blood vessels are in relation to this tiny spot in the macula. Bleeding that occurs right under it usually results in worse outcomes...that is because this specific area is made up of cone cells only which are photoreceptor cells that are responsible for sharp, detailed vision.When these cone cells are damaged by blood and fluid, our sharp and detailed vision is also destroyed. As a result vision is a bit blurred or fuzzy rather than distinct and sharp.
Subfoveal Choroidal NeovascularizationThis is the most common type of CNV. In fact, almost 90% are the subfoveal type. Subfoveal simply means that the bleeding develops below the fovea.Treatment options include. 1) Photodynamic Therapy if the CNV is well defined 2) Anti-Vegf - injections directly into the eye that block the stimulation of new blood vessel growth 3)
Macular Surgery
- surgery that actually re-locates the macula to a healthier spot on the retina
Juxtafoveal Choroidal NeovascularizationIn this type of wet macular degeneration, CNV develops outside the foveal area. It is also called extrafoveal CNV.One type of treatment can include laser photocoagulation therapy. Laser therapy is a procedure in which the ophthalmologist cauterizes the leaky blood vessels under the macula. The heat from the laser beam actually burns a tiny scar in the macula, which causes a small blind spot.
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