Summary of the
Report of the Joint Interim Committee
on
Macular Degeneration
January, 2001

The Report of the Joint Interim Committee on Macular Degeneration examined one of the leading causes of vision loss in Americans over the age of 40 years, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The disease primarily affects the inner tissue of the eye, called the macula, which is centrally located on the retina. The macula provides individuals with sight in the center of their vision field and allows one to focus on fine details (i.e., visual acuity).

There are two major types of age-related macular degeneration, dry or the atrophic type and wet or the hemorrhagic type. The dry type is the most common form and accounts for 90 percent of the cases; the wet type poses a greater threat for vision loss and accounts for 10 percent of the cases. Another less common type of age-related macular degeneration is juvenile macular degeneration, which affects persons under the age of 20 years of age.

There are no known causes or cures for age-related macular degeneration. As such, the committee recommended the following:

(1) The Missouri Department of Health should initiate an educational
program to make Missourians aware of the symptoms of macular
degeneration, the legitimate treatments provided by certified medical
professionals and encourage patients to seek further information,
sound medical advice or a change in medical professionals if they feel that
their treatments are inadequate.

(2) The Coordinating Board for Higher Education should review and
make recommendations for the establishment of a research center for the purposes of furthering the study on the causes, nature, treatments and potential cure for age-related macular degeneration.

(3) The Missouri Department of Transportation and the Department of Social Services, Division of Family Services, should review the services of all transportation providers to ensure that the needs of visually impaired Missourians are being adequately addressed across the state.

(4) The Department of Social Services, Rehabilitation Services for the
Blind should continue to ensure that service providers comply with the
requirements of service contacts awarded which include a testing requirement
for braille instructors and orientation and mobility instructors and licensure by the medical professional's certifying board.

(5) Legislation should be introduced which establishes a newborn
vision screening program or increased access to vision enhancement
devices.

Joseph A. Deering, Legislative Analyst
House Research