What Are the Risk Factors for Macular Degeneration?

The macula is the circular disk in the center of the retina that recognizes fine details in the center of the field of vision. In the less common form of macular degeneration, “wet” macular degeneration, misplaced blood vessels grow behind the retina. These weakened blood vessels tend to leak. In the worst cases, the accumulation of fluids can physically lift the macula from its moorings to create a distorted field of vision. Wet macular degeneration accounts for 10 percent of cases of the disease but 90 percent of the cases of blindness caused by the condition. In the more common “dry” form of the disease, damage occurs without hemorrhage and without scarring. Both types of macular degeneration cause the destruction of rods and cones in the retina resulting in loss of vision.

Risk factors for macular degeneration include smoking cigarettes, working with chemicals, and exposure to bright sunlight. People who are farsighted are more likely to get the disease than people who are nearsighted or who have normal vision, and people of European descent are more likely to get the disease than people of African descent. A family history of the disease increases the risk. Many people who have macular degeneration have a history of heart disease and a weak hand grip.