Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition characterized by blurry central vision. This causes difficulties when trying to see faces, drive safely, read or identify colors accurately.

There are two forms of macular degeneration; dry and wet AMD. Dry AMD is the more prevalent variety and occurs when tiny yellow deposits called drusen accumulate underneath the retina.

Dry Macular Degeneration

Ninety percent of those suffering macular degeneration have the dry form. This occurs when there is a gradual thinning or degradation of the macula that eventually results in vision loss in central (straight ahead) vision while peripheral or side vision continues functioning normally.

Dry macular degeneration typically develops gradually over time, often beginning in one eye before the other. The symptoms of macular degeneration include general blurring of vision, difficulty adapting to low light situations, increased illumination while reading, distortions in geometric forms and distortion of geometric forms. Macular degeneration may even lead to central blind spots forming; however, in these instances people will still be able to drive safely while enjoying normal peripheral (side) vision.

If the condition goes untreated, wet macular degeneration could develop. In this scenario, abnormal blood vessels form beneath the retina and begin leaking fluid and bleeding into the area underneath it, leading to rapid vision loss and permanent central vision loss; eventually the blood vessels may grow out and replace the macula completely. Diagnosing wet macular degeneration usually requires a dilated eye exam where an eye doctor looks directly into both of your eyes while using a chart to monitor any changes to central vision.

Upon discovering wet macular degeneration, laser treatment may be recommended to destroy abnormally leaking blood vessels beneath the retina. Lucentis or Avastin injections may also be given in order to combat abnormal vessel growth; these medications slow down vision loss but cannot restore lost central vision.

Attentive diet can help delay wet macular degeneration and maintain independence for as long as possible. Furthermore, regular dilated eye exams should also help.

Early Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration (MD) is an eye disease that gradually impairs central vision while leaving peripheral (side) vision unaffected. MD impairs reading, driving, recognising faces or colors and distortion of straight lines as it progresses; most likely its symptoms won’t become evident until late stages have taken hold – making MD the leading cause of legal blindness among Americans aged 55 or above.

About 85% of cases can be classified as dry macular degeneration, in which a characteristic yellow deposit known as drusen forms under the macula (part of retina that allows us to see fine details). This form usually progresses very slowly with some patients maintaining reading vision; its cause remains unknown but likely lies somewhere within macular tissue thinning or even damage caused by age-related changes.

Wet macular degeneration accounts for 15% of cases and involves abnormal blood vessels growing beneath the retina and leaking fluid and blood into the macula. It is more severe than its dry counterpart and accounts for 90% of severe vision loss cases associated with macular degeneration. Researchers believe the eye has an innate tendency to form new blood vessels to maintain visual function; unfortunately they often form in unexpected spots causing bleeding or swelling on retinal tissue.

Early symptoms of wet macular degeneration include a dark spot at the center of your central vision or straight lines that appear wavy. Therefore, it is vitally important that regular eye examinations are undertaken and that you notify your physician about any changes in vision that arise. Your doctor will use an Amsler grid chart to detect any distortion of straight lines in your vision, in addition to performing tests like fluorescein angiography or optical coherence tomography (OCT). This process involves injecting dye into a vein in your arm and taking photographs as the dye travels through blood vessels under your macula. Both procedures will help your doctor identify whether or not there are new blood vessels forming under the retina that could potentially leak blood or fluid, potentially increasing their number.

Intermediate Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration, commonly referred to as AMD, affects the macula at the central portion of retina that provides clear straight-ahead vision enabling people to read, drive and recognize faces. Macular degeneration deteriorates the quality of this vision leading to permanent loss of central vision.

Macular degeneration doesn’t cause complete blindness; rather, it makes daily tasks such as reading and driving more challenging for patients. Furthermore, this condition progresses gradually over time – you might only begin noticing its impact in its later stages.

Researchers have discovered that the progression of macular degeneration depends heavily on how much atrophy (thinning) there was initially in both eyes. They discovered that patients’ risks of transitioning from early-stage AMD to advanced AMD increase dramatically if more atrophy appears in one eye than another; similarly, vision loss rates decrease faster when atrophy is uniform across both eyes (i.e. not different in each).

Macular degeneration most often manifests itself in its dry or atrophic form. This form is marked by tissue thinning around the macula and the formation of yellow deposits on retina called drusen, though typically not leading to any significant vision loss. Although atrophic macular degeneration often doesn’t cause significant vision impairment, it may progress into wet macular degeneration over time.

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels appear under areas weakened by atrophic macular degeneration and drusen. When these blood vessels leak fluid or bleed, distortion of straight lines and dark spots in the center of vision are possible.

Thankfully, wet macular degeneration is less prevalent than dry macular degeneration and can be prevented through regular eye exams and leading a healthier diet and lifestyle. Furthermore, medical treatments exist that can slow its progress such as laser therapy or photodynamic therapy.

Late Macular Degeneration

The macula, located at the central portion of retina, allows people to clearly perceive fine details straight ahead, such as reading, driving, threading a needle and recognising faces. As macular degeneration advances it gradually causes loss of central vision reducing clarity for some tasks; peripheral (side) vision remains intact but macular degeneration makes getting around, reading and recognising faces difficult. However, macular degeneration doesn’t lead to complete blindness but makes life more challenging in general.

Macular degeneration progresses at its own rate for each person, so regular eye exams are crucial to monitor your eye health and detect any deterioration that might arise. A simple test called an Amsler grid may help a doctor identify whether macular degeneration has set in. They may also use additional tests, like optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography.

Macular degeneration comes in two varieties, dry and wet. Eighty-five to ninety percent of cases fall under dry macular degeneration where yellow protein deposits called drusen slowly form beneath the macula, usually progressing slowly but less severely than wet macular degeneration.

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid into the macula, leading to scarring in an ever-increasing fashion. It often progresses much more rapidly than dry macular degeneration and may lead to severe vision loss within months.

Macular degeneration’s exact cause remains unknown; however, risk factors include age, race, gender and family history. Some symptoms associated with macular degeneration include blurred or distorted central vision as well as dark spots appearing at the center of your field of vision.