Juvenile Macular Degeneration

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Juvenile macular degeneration affects children, teenagers and young adults. Unlike age related macular degeneration, this type of macular degeneration is usually hereditary.

While degeneration is a term used more often for the age related macular degeneration that affects older people, this type of central vision loss is correctly called macular dystrophy or early-onset macular degeneration.

The macula is located in the center of the retina in the back of the eye. It is responsible for our detailed and straight ahead vision - the vision that is needed for seeing faces, driving and reading. Peripheral or side vision is usually not affected. It is not blindness.

Best Disease

There are several forms of juvenile macular degeneration - all of them affect the macula, the tiny spot in the back of the retina and all are associated with a genetic mutation.

Best Disease is also known as vitelliform macular dystrophy. This disease is hereditary and is passed on by a gene. The diagnosis is usually made during childhood or adolescence. There are several stages to this macualr dystrophy.

1) A yellow cyst forms under the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) which is a layer under the macula - vision often remains normal for many years

2) The cyst ruptures and the fluid and yellow deposits flood the RPE

3) Fluid and deposits cause a degeneration of the RPE and the macula causing central vision loss

The patient still has peripheral vision.

Stargardt's Disease

Juvenile Macular Degeneration Treatment

However, according to Dr. Mark Grossman, "Certain nutritional supplementation along with microcurrent stimulation may slow the progression of Stargardt's and Best Disease or prevent further vision loss." Dr. Grossman is a Doctor of Optometry and New York State Licensed Acupuncturist is and co-authored:

* International best seller Magic Eye Beyond 3D: Improve Your Vision, published by Andrews and McNeil in 1996,

* Natural Eye Care - An Encyclopedia published by McGraw Hill in April, 1999,

* Greater Vision - A Comprehensive Program for Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Clarity published by McGraw Hill, 2001, and

* Natural Eye Care - A Comprehensive Manual for Practitioners of Oriental Medicine, published by Vision Works, Inc. 2002.

He provides free consults on the phone or through e-mail. If you want to read more about his work click here:

Vision Health Treatment Options & Nutrient Recommendations

Clinical Trials

This study sponsored by the National Eye institute was completed in early 2008 and we are still waiting to hear the conclusions.

Effect of DHA Supplements on Macular Function in Patients With Stargardt Macular Dystrophy and Stargardt-Like Macular Dystrophy

"As our North American diet is poor in DHA, we hypothesize that a DHA dietary supplement might improve macular function in individuals with the ELOVL4 mutation. Since the effect of DHA supplementation may be non-specific, we propose to study a second cohort with Stargardt macular dystrophy, which has a different genotype involving a different metabolic pathway in the eye, but presents with a similar phenotype. Two cohorts of up to 10 subjects for analysis will be recruited from patients with either Stargardt-like macular dystrophy or Stargardt macular dystrophy."

I will report on the results of this study as soon as they are published.

To learn more about the importance of essential fatty acids to the retina click here: Omega-3

Visual Aids for Macular Degeneration

Low Vision Specialist