Ask an Expert about Macular Degeneration

The AREDS2 study, which is currently in progress, is studying the efficacy of omega-3 supplements in decreasing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression. The results of AREDS2 have not yet been published. There is no proven benefit at this time to using flaxseed oil in patients with AMD, nor is it currently being studied.

There is no evidence to support the use of vitamins or other supplements for the resolution of a macular hole. However, macular holes have been known to resolve spontaneously in some instances.

I believe the report you are referring to speaks about a belief that the consumption of vegetable oil in the diet increases the risk of macular degeneration. There are, however, no published reports in the scientific databases, at present, in which detailed studies have been conducted to support this claim. As such, more research is needed from other independent groups before any definitive comments can be made concerning this issue.

After searching the scientific literature, I did not find any published reports specifically linking smokeless forms of tobacco to macular degeneration risk. However, it is important to point out, that the exact reason why smoking increases the risk of macular degeneration is not totally clear. Many believe the increased risk stems from the exposure of the eyes to the chemicals present in exhaled cigarette smoke, which in turn affect blood flow to the retina. Others point out that even with smokeless forms of tobacco one is still exposed to a number of toxic chemicals; however, the main difference is the route of exposure. For example, chemicals in smokeless tobacco would likely be absorbed into the bloodstream via the mouth. With this in mind, smokeless tobacco may alleviate the problem of exposure to toxins present in cigarette smoke, but it is quite possible that the toxins, once absorbed into the bloodstream, may still cause changes that contribute to increased risk of macular degeneration.

Your husband is quite young to have age-related macular degeneration. However, there are many other causes of choroidal neovascularization (development of abnormal blood vessels that leak blood and fluid), including high myopia, eye infections, inflammatory disorders, and hereditary dystrophies. Without knowing more of your husband's history, and the specific type of macular degeneration that he has, I cannot speculate on any risks concerning your son. Current therapies for wet macular degeneration include anti-VEGF injections such as Lucentis and Avastin. With such treatments, many patients are able to preserve their central visual acuity. However, not all types of wet macular degeneration will respond equally well to these medications. Your husband's retinal specialist may be able to offer more insight into these excellent questions.

Avastin and Lucentis injections have not been linked to visual hallucinations. In people with decreased vision due to a variety of causes (advanced macular degeneration, glaucoma, etc.), visual hallucinations may occur. This phenomenon is known as Charles Bonnet syndrome. If your father's hallucinations are related to anxiety, the best person to help manage his anxiety would be either his primary care doctor or a mental health professional.

"Myopic thinning" refers to the fact that a myopic eye is typically longer than the average eye, and therefore the retinal tissue is more "stretched" and thinner than the retina in the average eye. The wall of the eye, or the sclera, may also be thinner and weaker than the average eye, resulting in an out-pouching of the eye known as a staphyloma. Both types of "thinning" can result in decreased vision. Currently there is no cure for this condition. Management is limited to correction of refractive error (with glasses or contact lenses), and treatment of choroidal neovascularization (development of abnormal blood vessels) if it occurs.

Without knowing the specific type of glasses you are referring to, it is difficult to comment on their effectiveness. However, there are many high-tech aids for patients with decreased central vision (which occurs in patients with macular degeneration). Some of the aids are simple optical devices to magnify images, while others help magnify objects on a computer screen. Your mother may be a candidate for some of these low vision aids, and her retina doctor can refer her to a low vision specialist, who can offer her more detailed information on which types of aids may be helpful for her particular needs.