About Dr. Eric Mann

Eric S. Mann MD PhD FACS. Dr. Mann is a board certified Ophthalmologist and Retinal Surgeon. He is a Member of the Vitreous Society and Retina Society. He has offices in Belleville, Illinois and in St. Louis, Missouri and has been a retinal surgeon in practice for more than 23 years.

Age-related macular degeneration or AMD is the leading cause of irreversible visual loss and blindness in people over 50 years of age in the western world. Until recently there was little that could be done to either prevent or treat this blinding eye disease. New developments now allow both prevention and treatment of the type of AMD that causes severe damage to the eye.

The risk of developing AMD increases with age. The number of affected people with AMD at risk for blindness is expected to rise over the next few decades as the average age of the population increases. Unfortunately, a lack of public awareness of AMD reduces the chance that an eye specialist would examine people at risk for developing AMD as well as those with AMD at risk for blindness. It is estimated that approximately 70010 of adults have never heard of AMD and almost 40% of people fail to have eye examinations necessary to detect the condition.

Although AMD may cause rapid and severe damage to central vision, patients may be reassured that not all people with AMD suffer severe visual loss or blindness. There are two forms of AMD, dry and wet. Most patients with AMD have the less severe dry form that rarely causes visual loss. Wet or neovascular AMD accounts for 80-90% of the blindness in AMD but is 20% of AMD patients. If the eye is likened to a camera then the film in the back of the camera in the eye is the retina. Severe visual loss occurs in wet AMD when abnormal new blood vessels, which form under the retina or macula , leak blood and fluid obscuring central vision. A daily supplementation of vitamins and minerals as recommended by the Age-related Eye Disease Study may reduce the risk of advanced AMD and blindness in select patients with dry AMD. Both thermal and nonthermal or cool laser treatment in select patients with wet AMD may reduce the risk of visual loss. Consult an eye specialist for more information.

People at risk for developing we AMD should test separately their central vision in each eye daily using an Amsler grid or chart of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines as found in a checkerboard. Any new blurring, distortion or disappearance of the lines (blind spots) should be reported immediately to an eye specialist. Since an Amsler grid chart may not detect all symptoms or signs of AMD regular eye examinations are still necessary. People over 50 years of age are recommended to have an eye examination at least every two years and every 1-2 years for people aged 65 years or over.

-- Eric S. Mann MD PhD FACS , US Senior News