Staying Fit
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You can't see them. They don't block your vision. But if you're over 60, there's a good chance that you have some drusen — that's German for rocks — deposited in your eyeballs.
Though they're generally benign, these small yellow spots on the retina are worth watching because, in some cases, they can lead to another condition that can very much impair your vision: age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness for Americans over age 65.
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What are drusen?
As their name implies, drusen are debris. The cells in your retina (like the cells throughout your body) create waste, which is normally mopped up by your immune system. When your immune cells can't keep up, that waste can build up and create these spots on the retina.
"I call them the age spots of the eyes,” says Carl Awh, M.D., an ophthalmologist and president of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS). “They're one of those things that can occur over time, though it's also not uncommon to see them in younger people's eyes. Some people are probably more genetically susceptible to them."
A few drusen are normal and are not a sign of disease, Awh says. “Most people don't have drusen that are big enough, widespread enough or in a location in the eye that presents any risk to vision."
Drusen become troublesome only when they start growing in size or number or developing in a problematic location. Specifically, if you develop too many drusen, if they get too large or if they develop beneath the macula — the bull's-eye focal point of the retina that processes sharp, clear, straight-ahead vision — you're at risk for developing dry AMD. This type of AMD accounts for 85 to 90 percent of macular degeneration, as opposed to the wet form, which arises when blood vessels grow under the retina and leak.
That's why if you're 65 or older, it's important to get your eyes checked every year or two, as recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). An exam can catch early risk factors for AMD, which is a sight-threating condition, Awh says.
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