Question

A 70-year-old African-American female presents to your office complaining of difficulty seeing. The most common age-associated ocular disease causing vision loss for her would be:

1) Cataracts
2) Age-related macular degeneration
3) Glaucoma
4) Diabetic retinopathy

Answer 1

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common age-associated ocular disease causing vision loss for a 70-year-old African-American female.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most common age-associated ocular disease causing vision loss for a 70-year-old African-American female would be age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD occurs with the death of a layer of cells called retinal pigment epithelium, which normally provides nutrients and support to the macula of the eye. The macula is specialized for high visual acuity and has the retina's greatest concentration of cones. When the epithelial cells die and the macula is no longer supported or nourished, the macula also starts to die. This results in a black spot in the center of the patient's vision, which grows outward as the disease progresses.

Unlike cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, AMD is the most common cause of blindness in the Western hemisphere. It affects a large number of people in the United States and worldwide, with no cure currently available.