William Weiser has his eyes examined at the Central Blind Rehabilitation Center at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois.

William Weiser has his eyes examined at the Central Blind Rehabilitation Center at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois.

Macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of blindness in older Americans. Between 10 million and 15 million people in the U.S. have some form of the eye disease. As baby boomers age, doctors expect those numbers to climb sharply. There is no cure, but early diagnosis and treatment can help slow the progression of the disease. A limited number of people have had success improving their vision with the aid of a tiny telescope implanted behind the iris. Others receive drug injections directly into the eye. And there’s promising work being done in stem cell research. Experts talk about the latest in treating macular degeneration.

Guests

  • Jim Hindman Founder of Jiffy Lube and author of "Was Blind, But Now I See: Life Stories (and Lessons) in My Fight against Age-Related Macular Degeneration."
  • Dr. Judith Goldstein Director of Vision Rehabilitation Services at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University; assistant professor of Ophthalmology and Rehabilitation Medicine, Johns Hopkins University.
  • Dr. Julia Haller Ophthalmologist-in-chief of the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia and one of the nation's leading retina surgeons and researchers.

Photo: Age-Related Macular Degeneration

This photo from the National Eye Institute at The National Institutes of Health shows intermediate age-related macular degeneration.

Related Links

Topics + Tags

Most Recent Shows