Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition that can blur central vision.

It occurs as you age and causes significant damage to the macula.

Macula is part of the eye that controls sharp and straight-ahead vision. It is a light-sensitive tissue present at the back of the eye.

It is a common condition and the leading cause of vision loss in older adults.

Generally, age-related macular degeneration is a slow process but can be faster in some people.

It is very important to get regular eye checkups as you age.

Fact:
According to a PubMed study
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of central blindness among the working-aged population worldwide. As of 2020, it affects more than 196 million people globally, with the prevalence expected to increase to 288 million people by 2040 as the proportion of elderly persons in the population increases.

Types of Age-related macular degeneration

There are two types of Age-related macular degeneration: Dry and Wet.

Dry Age-related macular degeneration

Dry AMD is also known as atrophic AMD. Most of the people facing AMD have only dry form.

This occurs when the macula gets very thin with increasing age.

Dry AMD happens in 3 stages: early, intermediate, and late. It is a very slow process that takes several years.

Over time, your vision may worsen, affecting your daily tasks such as driving, reading, and recognizing faces.

There is no cure for late dry AMD, but you can treat early and intermediate stages.

In case you have only one eye affected, you can take some prevention steps to prevent your other eye.

Wet Age-related macular degeneration

Wet AMD is also known as advanced neovascular AMD. 

Any stage of the dry form of AMD can change into wet AMD.

It is a long-lasting eye disorder that causes blurred vision or a blind spot in central vision.

It happens when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye and damage the macula.

Early detection and treatment of wet macular degeneration can help reduce vision loss. 

Faster and earlier treatment of wet AMD can also help in recovering full vision.

Symptoms

The symptoms of age-related macular degeneration depend on different stages.

AMD is a progressive disease, and symptoms can worsen over time.

The early stages of AMD don’t cause any symptoms.

In the intermediate stage, some people might notice symptoms. 

blurriness in the central vision
Blurriness

They might include trouble seeing in low light and slight blurriness in the central vision.

In the late stages, many people start seeing straight lines to look wavy.  

The patient might see blurriness near the center of the vision. This blurry area may get bigger as time passes.

Some colors may also seem less bright and can have increased trouble seeing in low light.

Also Read: You can go through the article, Macular Degeneration Symptoms: Understanding the Signs.

Warning
A straight line looking wavy is the symptom of late AMD. Contact your doctor right away if you see any such signs.

Causes of age-related macular degeneration

There are no known causes of macular degeneration

According to Mayo Clinic, it may occur due to a combination of family genes and environmental factors, smoking, obesity, and diet.

The condition develops as you age. Dry macular degeneration affects the macula. 

The macula present in the retina area is responsible for clear vision in the direct line of sight. 

Over some time, tissues in the macula may get thin and lose cells that are responsible for vision.

Who is at risk?

Some of the risks that can increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration are:

Age

You can face this disease with increasing age. This is most common in people of age more than 60.

Genetics

This disease is also hereditary. Some researchers have identified several genes that are linked with Age-related macular degeneration. 

It means you may get this disease if someone in your family previously had AMD.

Smoking

Smoking cigarettes or exposure to tobacco smoke can increase your risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Overweight

Having overweight may also increase your risk of developing early or intermediate levels of age-related macular degeneration.

This can even lead to a more severe stage of this disease.

Heart disease

If you have any cardiovascular disease, you may have a higher risk of getting AMD.

The uncertain flow of blood to the eye may cause subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD) beneath the retina.

This can cause vision loss and blindness.

Treatment of age-related macular degeneration

There is no way to cure age-related macular degeneration completely.

However, it can be treated, and you can prevent further vision loss.

The progression of this disease can also be slowed down by using various supplements.

Vitamin supplements

Vitamin supplements
Vitamin supplements

People having intermediate and advanced levels of this disease can take vitamins.

Some minerals can also help reduce the risk of vision loss.

According to a study on Age-related Eye Diseases, various supplement formulation has shown effects.

Some of the vitamins and minerals are:

  • Vitamin E
  • 500 mg of Vitamin C
  • 2 mg Zeaxanthin
  • 10 mg of Lutein
  • 80 mg of zinc oxide
  • 2 mg of cupric oxide

The study does not show the benefits of these supplements on patients having early stages of dry age-related macular degeneration.

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Surgery

People having advanced stages of macular degeneration in both eyes can undergo surgery.

In this surgery, a telescopic lens is implanted in the eye. It is a tiny plastic tube with lenses that help magnify the field of vision.

The telescopic lens implant might help improve distant and close-up vision.

One disadvantage of this surgery is that it has a very narrow field of view.

It can be especially helpful in identifying street signs in urban areas.

Low vision rehabilitation

Age-related macular degeneration only affects your central vision, and your side vision remains unaffected.

Central vision helps in reading, driving, and recognizing people’s faces.

You can visit a vision specialist or other people trained in low-vision rehabilitation.

They can help you find ways to adapt to changing conditions of your vision.

Warning
Consult your doctor before taking any treatment or medications. Taking unnecessary medicines may worsen your condition.

Prevention

Firstly, routine eye checkups can help you identify age-related macular degeneration.

Some of the other measures that you can take to decrease the risk of developing AMD are as follows:

  • Do not smoke
  • Maintain a healthy weight and exercise daily
  • Include fish (Omega 3) in the diet
  • Have a diet rich in fruits and vegetables
  • Eat green leafy vegetables
  • Wear sunglasses

Conclusion

Age-related macular degeneration may rarely cause permanent or complete vision loss.

You may have poor central sight in the late stages of AMD. But you will still be able to see things with your side vision.

There is no cure for AMD, but the disease’s progression can be slowed down using some treatments.

These treatments may include lifestyle changes like maintaining a healthy diet, not smoking, and eating green vegetables.

It is important to get a regular eye exam to know about the progression of the disease.

Early detection and treatment can help prevent complete vision loss.

Frequently asked questions

Citations:
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