How much drusen is considered harmful?
It's not just about the total amount—both the size and number of drusen matter when it comes to risk. Here's what's important to know:
What's normal:
- Small drusen deposits are common in people over 50 and don't always signal AMD
What indicates concern
- Large drusen
- Many small Show Full Answer
How much drusen is considered harmful?
It's not just about the total amount—both the size and number of drusen matter when it comes to risk. Here's what's important to know:
What's normal:
- Small drusen deposits are common in people over 50 and don't always signal AMD
What indicates concern:
- Large drusen
- Many small drusen clustered together
- Medium-sized drusen detected during eye exams
The larger and more numerous the drusen, the higher the risk of developing dry AMD and experiencing vision loss. Having large drusen or many small drusen is considered an early sign of dry AMD.
Many people with early AMD don't have symptoms at first. That's why regular dilated eye exams are so important—your eye doctor can spot drusen before you notice any vision changes. As drusen accumulate over time, they can damage the macula and photoreceptor cells, leading to vision problems in intermediate and late stages of the condition.
January 28
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