Dr. Nathan T. Frank | Anne Arundel Eye Center

When it comes to eye diseases, most people are familiar with glaucoma and cataracts, but few know about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

What is Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that directly affects the macula, the small area of the retina that is responsible for central vision. AMD occurs in two forms:

Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (common): Tiny yellow deposits, called drusen, develop beneath the macula, signaling degeneration and thinning of nerve tissue.

Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (less common): Abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the macula, leaking blood and fluid onto and underneath the retina. This kills retinal cells, causing blurring, distortion, and blank spots in your field of vision.

Interesting Macular Degenerations Facts & Statistics

More than 13 million Americans are affected by AMD.

Nearly 90% of all diagnosed AMD is the dry form.

About 10% of cases of dry macular degeneration develop into the wet, or neovascular, form of AMD.

Globally, AMD is the leading cause of vision loss and is responsible for some 50% of visual impairment.

AMD is uncommon in people younger than 55.

Women are slightly more likely than men to develop AMD.

Studies show that obesity, smoking, and exposure to UV rays may also be risk factors for developing AMD.

Signs and Symptoms of Macular Degeneration

In its early stages, AMD may not present any signs or symptoms. As the eye disease progresses, however, signs and symptoms become much more prevalent and include:

The distortion or blurring of central vision

Difficulty performing everyday tasks like driving or reading

Inability to see small details or fine print

Difficulty recognizing faces

Need for more light while reading or working

Dark or blurry areas in the center of vision (blind spots)

Changed color perception

Inability to focus properly on a single point within a grid

If you experience any of these signs or symptoms, contact your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist – at your earliest convenience. The early detection of macular degeneration is critical to the long-term treatment of the eye disease.

Recent innovations in AMD treatment can slow or even halt the progression of retinal changes.

“There are good modern treatments available for patients who lose vision due to AMD,” said board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Cuong Vu of Retina Associates. “[But] early detection and prevention are the keys to success.”

To learn more about Macular Degeneration, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010.

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision. Vision problems may be a natural part of aging. Losing your vision doesn’t have to be.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

Sources:

Macular Degeneration Health Center

Dr. Samuel F. Boles and the rest of the Anne Arundel Eye Center staff are happy to welcome board certified Optometrist Dr. Nathan T. Frank to their ever-growing practice.

“We are an established practice that continuously welcomes new patients and we are very excited to have a physician with Dr. Frank’s background and specialty experience join our staff, to help us continue to provide the utmost care and education within the community,” Dr. Boles said.

That care and education that Dr. Boles mentions is the reason that Anne Arundel Eye Center is proud of its growth over the past five years, now serving over 6,000 patients. The state-of-the-art treatment center, which specializes in glaucoma and cataracts diagnosis and treatment, hired Dr. Frank to support that increased patient base.

Dr. Frank completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Wyoming in 2004 and received his doctorate in Optometry at Pacific University in 2008. As part of his training, Dr. Frank held clinical externships at Alaska Eye Care Center, Arizona; Pacific University College of Optometry, Oregon; Fort Washakie Indian Health Services, Wyoming; Alaska Eye Center, Alaska; and attended weekly grand round lectures at the Wilmer Eye Center at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Frank completed his residency with the Maryland-based eye care center Seidenberg and Protzko Eye Associates with an emphasis on ocular disease, pediatrics and refractive surgery.

Before relocating to Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Lesleigh, a pediatric occupational therapist at Kennedy Krieger, Dr. Frank was owner and optometric physician at DV Eyecare LLC in La Grande, Oregon – a practice providing primary care, contact lens services, and medical optometry. Dr. Frank is a former member of the Oregon Optometric Association and current member of the American Optometric Association, the Maryland Optometric Association, and the Optometric Nutrition Society. He has recently published two Posters – “Bilateral Acute Retinal Necrosis Secondary to HSV-2” and “Bleb Associated Pseudomonal Endophthalmitis.”

Anne Arundel Eye center is delighted to welcome such a highly qualified Optometrist to its practice. Dr. Frank was brought in to help the center handle its increased patient base, while furthering Anne Arundel Eye Center’s commitment to providing comprehensive eye care services, specializing in cataract and glaucoma diagnosis and treatment.

Anne Arundel Eye Center is located at 127 Lubrano Drive, Suite 301, Annapolis, MD, 21401 across from Annapolis Mall. For patient appointment information, please call (410) 224-2010 or visit them at www.AnneArundelEyeCenter.com.

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