Macular Degeneration

What is macular degeneration and who is affected by it?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease where the central part of your vision deteriorates over time. This happens when the macula, in the middle of the retina that deals with your central vision, which allows you to see fine details, ages and breaks down. It does not cause complete blindness but can severely impair your vision, making normal, everyday activities very difficult to carry out.

People in their 50s and 60s and also anyone who has a family history of the condition are at increased risk.

What are the symptoms?

You may notice in either one of both eyes:

  • blurred or distorted vision
  • faded colours
  • loss of clarity in the central part of your vision
  • a dark spot in the centre of your vision
  • straight lines appearing wavy

What are the causes?

There are two types of AMD – Dry and Wet. It is believed that Dry AMD is caused by residual material gathering at the back of your eye; impairing your central vision. Dry AMD is the most common form of the condition and gets gradually worse over the years, showing little to no symptoms until it is too late.

Wet AMD has a much quicker onset, caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels at the back of your eyes. Family history, smoking and being overweight can raise your chances of developing the disease.

What can happen if it is left untreated

The speed of this progressive vision loss depends on the type of AMD you have. Wet AMD progresses fastest with vision loss occurring in mere months or weeks, while Dry AMD progresses more gradually over the years. If it is left untreated, Dry AMD can develop into Wet AMD.

What treatment options are available?

Unfortunately, AMD treatment cannot reverse any previous damage. However, it can be managed with a healthy diet, by quitting smoking and by wearing eyewear that offers UV protection.

Dry AMD can be managed day to day with low vision aids that reduce the overall impact of the condition, like magnifiers and reading lights.

For Wet AMD, anti-VEGF (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor) injections and laser surgery can prevent fresh blood vessels from growing within the macula to stop your vision from getting worse.

Regular eye exams

We recommend having regular eye exams and an OCT scan – this is the gold standard for AMD detection. Just one appointment can make all the difference in preserving your sight – contact us today to book yours.