Dry Macular Degeneration Affects More than Just Seniors

While Dry Macular Degeneration usually affects those over the age of 50 or 60, there are several reported cases of infants and children contracting this disorder called Juvenile Dry Macular Degeneration or JMD.  Dry Macular Degeneration is the slow decline of central vision.  While it does not cause complete blindness, it drastically alters ones lifestyle with total vision blurriness resulting in the inability to read or make out faces.  Your peripheral vision is generally not affected but your straight line vision is usually marked by blurry, patchy spots.  Many explain it as bright spots that remain in your line of sight after a photography flash is taken from a camera, only it does not go away.

JMD comes in several different varieties, the most common being Stargardt’s Disease which has symptoms that usually start in the childhood or teen years.  Symptoms are small drusen (yellow fat-like deposits on the retina), a decline in sharp sight and macula scarring.  It also causes the light sensitive cells in the retina to deteriorate.  Stargardt’s Disease is genetic and is passed down from generation to generation.  Approximately 1 in 20,000 children are affected with this form of JMD and most children are given the diagnosis before the age of 20 years old.

Some other signs and symptoms of JMD to be aware of are:

•    Dim colors and blurring
•    Straight line distortion
•    Empty spots in your central line of vision

Older children and teens are able to let an adult or doctor know that they are having symptoms and are able to explain what exactly they are seeing.  Infants, toddlers and young children, however are unable to explain which is why it is necessary to take your children to the eye doctor regularly, especially if you have several reported cases of Dry Macular Degeneration in your family.  If your child starts to complain about blurred vision or dark spots in their line of sight, consult a doctor.  Hallucinations have also been reported by several patients, so if your child complains of these, take them seriously and take them into your ophthalmologist for testing.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for JMD and the cause of Juvenile Dry Macular degeneration is unknown as well.  Researchers believe that JMA comes from an inherited mutated gene from both parents which may or may not affect those it is passed down to genetically.  Currently, there is no way to stop the gene from being passed down.  While regular Dry Macular Degeneration affects mostly Caucasian women, those who smoke and who have lightly colored eyes, juvenile Dry Macular Degeneration can affect anyone as long as they have inherited the mutated gene, regardless of age, sex or race.