Age-related macular degeneration is an invisible eye disease that gradually damages sharp, central vision. It is the leading cause of blindness in Western countries.

People with a family history of AMD should consult an ophthalmologist by age 55 for screening and possible treatment to halt its progress. Doing this can prevent further eye health problems.

Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Dry AMD)

Age-related macular degeneration is an eye disease affecting the macula, the part of the eye responsible for central vision needed for reading and driving, which is one of the leading causes of blindness among people over 50. Macular degeneration causes light-sensing cells in the retina to malfunction over time, eventually losing function altogether and leading to loss of central vision required for activities such as sewing or driving. Macular degeneration generally affects both eyes simultaneously but may progress at different rates in each eye.

Macular degeneration (AMD) can take two forms, dry AMD and wet AMD. Most cases of macular degeneration involve dry AMD. This form is associated with small deposits called drusen under the retina that gradually build up, leading to damage of the macula over time. With advanced disease, central vision becomes blurry or blank altogether leading to total blindness in some instances.

10% to 15% of people living with dry AMD progress to wet macular degeneration, the more serious form. Wet AMD is marked by abnormal blood vessels leaking blood and fluid under the retina, leading to rapid loss of central vision as a result – accounting for 90% of severe vision loss associated with wet AMD.

Wet AMD can be difficult to treat effectively. One effective strategy involves intravitreal injections of drugs known as anti-VEGF agents which help block new blood vessel growth. Such medications have proven successful at stabilising and improving vision quality for some patients suffering with this form of AMD. Lucentis, Avastin and Eylea have been particularly useful.

Lifestyle changes such as diet modification and taking antioxidant vitamins C & E, beta-carotene and zinc oxide may help to slow macular degeneration’s progression. Smoking should also be discontinued and blood pressure kept within normal limits; regular physical activity and eating a diet rich in fish, green leafy vegetables and other nutritive foods should also be made part of any treatment plan.

Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Leakage of Blood Vessels (DAMD with Leakage of Blood Vessels or DAMD with Leakage of Blood Vessels)

Macular degeneration refers to a painless change to one area of retina called the macula, responsible for central vision – providing sharpest details for activities such as driving, reading and recognizing faces and colors – while leaving other portions of retina functioning normally for peripheral (side) vision.

Dry age-related macular degeneration occurs when light-sensitive retina cells begin to degrade over time, gradually blurring or distorting central vision and creating blind spots in its place. It is one of the leading causes of legal blindness among Americans over 65 and can start appearing as early as 60; it can even run in families.

Macular degeneration progresses to wet AMD when abnormal blood vessels form beneath the retina and leak fluid, leading to rapid central vision loss. Wet AMD usually affects eyes that previously suffered dry macular degeneration but can strike any individual at any point without prior history of dry macular degeneration occurrences; though rarer than its counterpart, its progression often progresses much more rapidly resulting in more severe visual loss.

Monitor visual acuity regularly in order to detect early progression from dry to wet macular degeneration, using an Amsler grid or similar device. We strongly encourage regular office visits and annual testing for macular degeneration; this will allow a doctor to assess any damage to macula area as well as take photographs and dye studies (fluorescein angiography or optical coherence tomography or OCT) which will identify leakage areas and take photos or dye studies as required for evaluation of wet macular degeneration if needed. Treatments for wet macular degeneration include photodynamic therapy or laser photocoagulation which destroy abnormal blood vessels to prevent further progression.

Some experimental drugs and surgical procedures are being evaluated as potential treatments for wet macular degeneration, with an aim of slowing or even halting the formation of new abnormal blood vessels responsible. If a person begins experiencing symptoms of wet macular degeneration they should contact their eye care professional immediately to explore potential treatment options.

Watery Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Wet AMD)

At later stages of AMD, cells at the macula begin to stop functioning normally, leading them to break down and leak fluid and blood from abnormal new blood vessels which form at this area of vision. This condition is known as wet age-related macular degeneration or exudative macular degeneration and typically leads to rapid central vision loss compared to dry AMD.

Straight lines may appear crooked due to leaky blood vessels releasing their fluid, lifting the macula and distorting central vision without impacting peripheral or side vision.

Treatment for wet AMD involves stopping new blood vessels from growing and damaging the eye. This can be accomplished with injection of an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medication into the eye using intravitreal injection; currently one of the only effective solutions available. These injections should begin every four weeks until an adjustment needs to be made according to how your eye responds.

There is evidence to support that taking certain vitamins may slow the progression of wet macular degeneration (WMD). A particular combination including lutein and zeaxanthin may decrease risk by 25% for wet AMD; this does not prevent it; so people at risk should regularly take multivitamins containing these two antioxidants.

Keep your vision checked regularly using an Amsler grid, including using it to inspect straight lines for crookedness. If wet AMD appears it’s critical that treatment begins quickly as newly formed blood vessels can spread rapidly across the macula scarring any central vision lost permanently. Wet AMD typically progresses more rapidly among smokers and obese individuals so it is particularly important for you to quit smoking and adhere to a healthy diet, including deep sea fish rich in Omega 3 like salmon as well as green leafy vegetables with lutein/zeaxanthin like spinach/curly kale etc. If wet AMD appears it’s essential that treatments start immediately so new blood vessel growth does not scare the macula and any central vision lost is usually permanent. In general, smokers and overweight individuals tend to progress more rapidly, therefore for anyone suffering with wet AMD it is extra important for you that smokers and overweight individuals quit smoking while keeping weight down; smoking generally progressing more rapidly when smokers and overweight individuals than usual as new blood vessel formation can scarring the macula, scarring macula with permanent results, making central vision lost permanent permanent; smoking cessation should stop immediately as soon as possible while eating green leafy vegetables which contain lutein and zeaxanthin such as spinach or curly kale can increase progress more rapidly with wet AMD thus becoming worse, leading them down this route faster so if wet AMD progress more rapidly if necessary to consume foods rich in Omega 3 such as salmon is particularly vital as progression is increased because progressed more rapidly on its track, scarring macula quickly enough and scarring scaring macula permanent; overweight progress more rapidly with overweight progress more rapidly progress more so maintaining dietary containing deep sea fish rich in Omega 3, including green leafy produce such as spinach and curly kale will slowing and curly kale are found more quickly making treatment soon than expected in due to smoking as soon as wet AMD due to progresse sooner as soon after its course; consequently so quickly than normal, making any central vision loss, becoming permanent than usual as smoker. Wet AMD progress more than normal thus as its progression than expected over time causing scaring it progress more than normalizing which further progressed!. if necessary to more rapidly progresses than normal due its progressing. It progress more rapid progresse than overweight than normal more rapidly which makes worsens further advances due to progresse more likely progression also faster affecting smokers could then because more rapidly progresse. Thusly progress. therefore quill. Therefore maintaining healthy diet including deep seafish rich in terms. It’s progression, thus being overweight/o due to weight. Therefore once again. Therefore. Therefore it. Therefore it’s progress, which might worse than it’s progresss progress more so. So If this condition and overweight or more rapidly. So. Therefore it is especially crucial than its progress then other. Therefore. Therefore quiting Smokers than overweight. So then. compared accelerated by maintaining such as spinach/ curly.

Laser Treatments

Laser therapy uses painless laser light to destroy abnormal, leaking blood vessels causing wet macular degeneration. It should only be considered in cases of wet AMD that fit certain criteria – for instance, CNV must be far enough from the center of macula that laser radiation will not harm it – though in some cases it may even improve or slow the progression of vision loss caused by advanced forms of wet AMD. Unfortunately it will not restore lost vision.

Symptoms of wet macular degeneration will prompt your eye doctor to perform a comprehensive eye examination of both retina and macula to evaluate your vision. This examination includes an in-depth history review, slit lamp exam, vision testing tools as well as fluorescein angiography or other imaging tests of retinal circulation.

Studies conducted over the years have demonstrated that laser photocoagulation can significantly lower vision loss rates in wet AMD when performed early, especially if performed in conjunction with an anti-CCNV regimen. Furthermore, laser photocoagulation may lower severe vision loss risk by decreasing CNV incidence rates.

One of the largest studies ever undertaken, CAPT stands for Complications of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Prevention Trial and involved patients at high risk for wet AMD receiving regular laser photocoagulation of the retina as part of an attempt to stop the formation of neovascularization. Results demonstrated that this method significantly decreased its development while being significantly more effective than using placebos as treatment for wet AMD prevention.

nanosecond laser photocoagulation, commonly referred to as nLAPC, is now a less damaging form of laser treatment for wet macular degeneration than previous forms. nLAPC may help decrease neovascularization through shrinking drusen size while simultaneously improving quality of life for patients.

A small pilot study demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of nLAPC for treating wet AMD without retinal hemorrhage. It can also be added onto existing treatments, such as anti-VEGF agents and photodynamic therapy, to enhance results.