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MACULAR DEGENERATION Symptoms, Causes & Treatments OVERVIEW Macular degeneration is a common eye disorder that causes central vision loss. Your central vision is what you see when you’re looking straight ahead. Your peripheral vision is what you see on the side when you’re looking straight ahead. Macular degeneration doesn’t cause total blindness because it doesn’t affect your peripheral vision. It's estimated that more than 10 million Americans have this disease. It’s also the number one cause of vision loss. This cause of this disease is deterioration of the macula, which is a small area in the center of the retina in the back of the eye. SYMPTOMS The signs and symptoms of ARDS can vary in intensity, depending on its cause and severity, as well as the presence of underlying heart or lung disease. They include: • Severe shortness of breath. • Labored and unusually rapid breathing. • Low blood pressure. • Confusion and extreme tiredness. CAUSES The mechanical cause of ARDS is fluid leaked from the smallest blood vessels in the lungs into the tiny air sacs where blood is oxygenated. Normally, a protective membrane keeps this fluid in the vessels. Severe illness or injury, however, can cause damage to the membrane, leading to the fluid leakage of ARDS. The most common underlying causes of ARDS include: • Sepsis. The most common cause of ARDS is sepsis, a serious and widespread infection of the bloodstream. • Inhalation of harmful substances. Breathing high concentrations of smoke or chemical fumes can result in ARDS, as can inhaling (aspirating) vomit or near-drowning episodes. • Severe pneumonia. Severe cases of pneumonia usually affect all five lobes of the lungs. • Head, chest or other major injury. Accidents, such as falls or car crashes, can directly damage the lungs or the portion of the brain that controls breathing. • Others. Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), massive blood transfusions and burns. TREATMENTS The first goal in treating ARDS is to improve the levels of oxygen in your blood. Without oxygen, your organs can't function properly. Oxygen To get more oxygen into your bloodstream, your doctor will likely use: • Supplemental oxygen. For milder symptoms or as a temporary measure, oxygen may be delivered through a mask that fits tightly over your nose and mouth. • Mechanical ventilation. Most people with ARDS will need the help of a machine to breathe. A mechanical ventilator pushes air into your lungs and forces some of the fluid out of the air sacs. Fluids Carefully managing the amount of intravenous fluids is crucial. Too much fluid can increase fluid buildup in the lungs. Too little fluid can put a strain on your heart and other organs and lead to shock. Medication People with ARDS usually are given medication to: • Prevent and treat infections. • Relieve pain and discomfort. • Prevent blood clots in the legs and lungs. • Minimize gastric reflux. • Sedate.
