Macular Degeneration - is a medical condition usually of older adults which results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macula) because of damage to the Retina. It occurs in 'dry' and 'wet' forms. It is a major cause of blindness in the elderly (>50 years). Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognize faces, although enough peripheral vision remains to allow other activities of daily life. The condition however is painless

Signs and Symptoms:

Bent or warped images

Dark, foggy or light spots

Words on a page may appear distorted or incomplete

Sample Image of how Age-Related Macular Degeneration Effects your Vision

Diabetic Retinopathy - is damage to the retina caused by complications of diabetes mellitus, which can eventually lead to blindness. It is an ocular manifestation of systemic disease which affects up to 80% of all patients who have had diabetes for 10 years or more. Despite these intimidating statistics, research indicates that at least 90% of these new cases could be reduced if there was proper and vigilant treatment and monitoring of the eyes.

Signs and Symptoms:

Diabetic retinopathy often has no early warning signs. Don't wait for symptoms. Be sure to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.

Q. Who is at risk?

A. Those with diabetes mellitus – and those with Type I diabetes (juvenile onset) and those with Type II diabetes (adult onset) for 10 years or more

Sample image of how Diabetic Retinopathy affects your vision

Epiretinal membrane is a disease of the eye in response to changes in the vitreous humor or more rarely, diabetes. It is also called macular pucker. Epiretinal membrane is a scar-tissuelike membrane that forms over the macula. Macular pucker progresses slowly and affects central vision by causing blurring and distortion. The pulling of the membrane on the macula may cause swelling.

This condition most commonly affects older adults, and may be associated with diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, trauma, or other disorders. Many cases of epiretinal membrane are mild enough that no treatment is necessary. If vision is significantly affected, vitrectomy surgery with removal of the membrane can improve vision by smoothing out the macula.

The Image below is a sample of how ones vision would be affect by Macular Pucker when looking at an Amsler Grid