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Glossary: Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV) - growth of new blood vessels under the retina. Disciform Scar - the endpoint of CNV with fibrous scar tissue healing the area of new vessels and subretinal leakage. The retina in this area is destroyed. Drusen - yellowish deposits of metabolic debris that collect under the macula. Dry AMD - Atrophic degeneration of the retina with associated loss of vision. There is no choroidal neovascularization. Fluorescein angiography - a diagnostic test to evaluate the retinal circulation. Fluorescein is a non-iodine dye that fluoresces a bright green under blue light. A camera (it is not an X-ray test) takes pictures as the dye moves through the retinal circulation and aids in diagnosis and management of many retinal diseases. It is rare to be truly allergic to fluorescein, although many people may have nausea and even vomiting transiently (seconds) as the dye passes through their circulation. Legal blindness - Visual Acuity less than 20/200 on a Snellen vision chart. Macula - an area of the retina which has the highest density of rods and cones. The center of the macula is called the fovea, it has a diameter of only three tenths of a millimeter, and is required for the highest level of visual acuity. Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) - the pigmented layer of support cells that lies immediately beneath the retinal photoreceptors (the light sensitive rods and cones). It is this layer that the retina separates from in a retinal detachment. Vitreous - the jelly-like substance that filles the cavity inside the posterior part of the eye, behind the pupil and the lens. It is 99% water held together with a collagenous (protein) scaffholding. When you are young it is a more solid jell like substance, but with age, and in some disease states, it liquifies and precipitates. Wet AMD - leakage of subretinal fluid, blood and lipid under the macula as a consequence of choroidal neovascularization.
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