DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My sister, who is only 54, has been diagnosed with macular degeneration in both eyes — the dry kind. We have been unable to find anything about it. We did find that the dry kind is the worse kind, and that laser treatments don’t work for it. Is this true? She is on a drug called Vitalux and must take it every day. — B.T.

A: The retina is the backmost layer of the eye. The retina converts visual images coming into the eye into electric signals that are transmitted to the brain so we can see. In the center of the retina is a small, round area — the macula — responsible for central and distinct vision. Macular degeneration is a deterioration of that most important area. The person who has it sees an opaque smudge in the middle of the visual field. Off to the side, vision remains intact.

Dry and wet macular degeneration are the two kinds of this disorder. The dry kind is the more common kind. Dry macular degeneration usually progresses slowly. The wet variety comes from a growth of fragile blood vessels in the macular area. Those vessels leak fluid. Loss of vision with wet macular degeneration is rapid, and for that reason, it is the worse of the two kinds. People can have both varieties at the same time. Wet macular degeneration responds to sealing of the leaky vessels with lasers. One procedure is called photodynamic therapy. It also responds to eye injections of medicines that stop the growth of these fragile blood vessels.

Your sister’s medicine, Vitalux, is a combination of vitamins C and E, beta carotene, zinc, copper, lutein (LOO-teen) and zeaxanthin (ZEE-ah-ZAN-thin). The latter two are antioxidants essential to macular health. It’s available in Canada. Similar products can be found in the U.S. This combination slows the progression of macular degeneration from the moderate to the advanced stages.

A new study is currently being conducted to see if varying the doses of those vitamins and minerals or adding omega-3 fatty acids would be more effective.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers also may order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.

c. North America Syndicate

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