Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye problem that happens when part of your eye called the macula gets damaged. The macula is part of the retina at the back of your eye.
With age-related macular degeneration (AMD), your central vision is lost. This means you can’t see fine details, whether things are close or far away. But your side vision will still be okay. For example, if you look at a clock, you might see the numbers but not the hands.
AMD is very common, especially in people over 50 years old. It’s one of the main causes of vision loss in older adults.
Two Types of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Dry AMD
This is the most common type. About 8 out of 10 people with AMD have the dry form. In dry AMD, parts of the macula get thin as you age, and drusen (small clumps of protein) also develop. With dry AMD, you slowly lose your central vision over time.
Wet AMD
This type is less common but more serious. Wet macular degeneration occurs in aging people when new, abnormal blood vessels develop under the retina. These vessels can leak blood or fluid, which scars the macula. Vision loss happens faster with wet AMD compared to dry AMD.
Many people don’t realize they have AMD until their vision gets very blurry. Therefore, you should schedule regular eye exams for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Your eye doctor can check for early signs of AMD before you have vision problems.
Who Gets Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?
You are more likely to be diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) if you:
· Eat a lot of fatty foods like meat, butter and cheese
· Are overweight
· Smoke cigarettes
· Are over 50 years old
· Have high blood pressure
· Have a family member with AMD
Having heart disease or high cholesterol also increases your risk of AMD. White (Caucasians) people have a higher chance of getting AMD too.
How Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Diagnosed?
When your eye is under examination, your eye doctor may:
· Ask you to look at a grid pattern to check for blurry or distorted areas in your vision
· Use special eye drops to dilate (widen) your pupils and look inside your eye at the retina and macula
· Use imaging tests like OCT or angiography to get detailed pictures of your retina
Treating Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Dry AMD Treatment
There are two new medications that can be injected into your eye to treat the geographic atrophy form of dry AMD and reduce the rate of vision loss.
For other types of dry AMD with a lot of drusen, a special vitamin formula from the AREDS studies may help slow progression. The vitamins include:
· Vitamin C
· Vitamin E
· Lutein
· Zeaxanthin
· Zinc
· Copper
Your eye doctor can advise if these supplements are recommended for your type of dry AMD.
Eating a healthy diet with leafy greens, fruits, veggies and fish is also good for AMD.
Wet AMD Treatment
Several injected medications help treat wet AMD by stopping abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage under the retina. These can preserve the remaining vision.
Monitoring Your Vision for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
It’s very important to monitor your vision at home with an Amsler grid if you have age-related macular degeneration (AMD). An Amsler grid is a checkerboard pattern you can use to check for any blurry, wavy or missing areas in your vision.
How to Use the Amsler Grid:
· Keep the grid somewhere you’ll see it every day, like the fridge or bathroom mirror.
· Hold the grid 12–15 inches away and cover one eye.
· Look at the dot in the middle and see if any of the lines look bent, blurry or missing.
· Do the same thing with your other eye covered.
· Call your eye doctor right away if you notice any changes in the grid pattern.
Doing this grid test daily can help catch any vision changes from AMD as soon as they start, so they can be treated quickly.
Image: Amsler Grid Blurry View for People with AMD; Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology
If you have blurry vision similar to the image above, make sure you contact your eye doctor right away and test for age-related macular degeneration.
