It's important to get an eye exam every year so that you can find out whether you have macular degeneration. It's a serious eye problem that can take away much of your central vision and cause you to lose your independence. When you need to see an eye doctor in Naples, call Naples Eye Physicians to set up your eye exam appointment.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
This eye disease is a common cause of vision loss. It causes patients to lose their central vision while the peripheral vision stays intact. It's most common in people who are 60 and older and it's a progressive disease that gets worse over time. When a patient loses vision to the disease, there is no way to get that vision back.
Which Symptoms Should I Watch For?
There are a lot of symptoms that you may experience when you have macular degeneration. When it's still early in the disease's progression, there may be few or no symptoms that appear. Then, it will start to cause the central vision to develop blurry or dark spots. You may start to notice that colors have changed and that things seem dimmer and you need more light to see. You might have a hard time recognizing the faces of others. In some patients, the symptoms slowly progress, while in others, they appear suddenly.
What Are the Risk Factors?
Several risk factors can make it more likely that a patient will develop this disease. If you are Caucasian, you are more likely to develop it. If you have a family history of it, you are more likely to get it. The chance of developing it also goes up as people become older. Patients with cardiovascular disease or who smoke, are obese, or have high blood pressure are also more likely.
Get Your Eye Exam in Naples, FL
It's important to be tested for this eye disease every year by an eye doctor. Call Naples Eye Physicians today at (239) 262-6288 or reach us through our website by using our online contact form.