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What is macular degeneration?
The macula is an area at the back of your eye that you use for seeing fine details such as reading a book.
Macular degeneration (MD) covers a number of conditions which affect the macula. The conditions affect your ability to do certain tasks such as reading and watching television, but do not affect your ability to walk around as your side vision is not affected.
One of the most common symptoms of MD is noticing that straight lines appear wavy or there are patches missing from your vision. You may not notice this if it happens in one eye as your other eye will compensate, so it is important to regularly check your vision in each eye separately.
The most common forms of MD happen more as you get older and are known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
I have heard that AMD can be ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ – is this right?
AMD can be classified as early or late. Early AMD is always dry AMD. This is when yellow deposits, known as drusen, build up behind the macula. Most people with early AMD have near normal vision. There is no treatment for early AMD.
A minority of people with early AMD can progress to late AMD. Late AMD my be ‘wet’ or ‘dry’.
The most common form of late AMD is the wet form. This happens when abnormal blood vessels begin to grow behind the macula and leak fluid. This pushes the macula away from its blood supply at the back of your eye and causes a rapid loss of vision. It is usually associated with you noticing distorted vision (straight lines become wavy, or you have a blank spot or smudge in the centre of your vision).
Does macular degeneration cause blindness?
Macular degeneration (MD) is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK. However, most people with MD still have their peripheral (side) vision and so can see well enough to get around. However, they may not be able to see well enough to read without strong magnification.
Does it happen more as you get older?
The most common forms of MD happen more as you get older and are known as age-related MD (AMD). Around one in 10 people aged 65 or older show some signs of AMD. Some younger people may have MD caused by a genetic condition but this is less common than AMD.
What are the symptoms of AMD?
Some people simply notice that things appear blurry or they have difficulty reading, even with their normal reading glasses. Other people may notice that they have a smudge in their central vision which does not go away, or they may notice that straight lines are distorted or wavy.
Some people with AMD may notice that they find that they become sensitive to bright light, or that they find it difficult to adapt when going from a dark to a light environment. Some people notice that colours can fade.
Can I do anything to protect myself from getting AMD?
Smoking is known as a major risk factor for developing AMD so if you smoke try to stop.
It is also believed that having a diet that is rich in coloured fruit and vegetables may reduce your risk of developing AMD.
A link has been found between obesity and AMD so you should try to maintain a healthy weight.
Having a family history of the condition increases your risk of developing AMD.
It is slightly more common in women than men.
It is possible that exposure to ultraviolet light may be linked to AMD
The exact cause of AMD is not yet known, so you may develop it even if you don’t have any of these risk factors.
There are lots of dietary supplements on the market which claim to be beneficial for eye health. There is no good evidence that the general population should be taking these supplements. There is moderate evidence that people with existing AMD may delay progression of the disease if they take specific supplements.
Is there any treatment for AMD?
There is currently no treatment for dry AMD, only ways to help make the most of your vision.
Wet AMD can often be treated if it is caught early enough and this is normally done by injecting a drug into the gel inside your eye.