What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

Age-related macular degeneration occurs when the central retina, which is responsible for fine-detail vision, is damaged due to age. It is the leading cause of blindness in Australians over 65 years of age.

There are 2 types of age-related macular degeneration; dry and wet AMD. In dry AMD, there is a build up of waste products beneath the retina, eventually leading to the death of retinal cells (atrophy). This form of AMD is usually slowly progressive and may be asymptomatic in the early stages. In wet AMD, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina causing leakage of blood and fluid. This causes more sudden and severe visual loss.

What are the symptoms of AMD?

AMD causes a painless progressive reduction in central vision. Typical symptoms include distortion (straight lines appearing wavy), difficulty with vision in low light, or dark or missing spaces in your vision. These symptoms can affect daily activities such as driving, watching TV, reading and recognising faces.

What are the risk factors?

As the name suggests, increasing age is the strongest risk factor for AMD. A family history of AMD also significantly increases your risk of AMD. While there is no single gene responsible for AMD, there is a strong genetic component and you should have your eyes tested regularly if you have a family member affected.

Smoking is the biggest modifiable risk factor for both developing AMD, and progression of the disease once diagnosed. We strongly advise all patients with AMD to seek assistance in ceasing smoking to decrease the risk of visual loss.

How do I know if I have AMD?

The early stages of AMD can be asymptomatic and therefore it is important to have regular eye examinations, especially if you are over 50 or have a family history of AMD. Additionally, if you have any symptoms of reduced, blurred or distorted vision, you should see an eye care professional for a comprehensive eye examination. Early detection of AMD is important to minimise irreversible visual loss.

What are the treatment options?

While there is no cure for macular degeneration, there are treatments which can slow or halt the progression of the disease.

DRY AMD
Avoid smoking, maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat a well-balanced diet including green leafy vegetables high in antioxidants and food rich in omega-3s. Vitamin supplements, such as the AREDS2 (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) formulation, have also been found to be beneficial.

WET AMD
Injections of anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) medication into the eye are now the mainstay of treatment for wet AMD. These medications reduce the leakiness of abnormal blood vessels at the macula, helping to maintain vision in most people and in many cases improving vision. These injections need to repeated regularly in order to stabilise vision.

Where can I get more information?

The Macular Disease Foundation Australia (www.mdfoundation.com.au/) provides comprehensive information about all aspects of AMD, including a very useful FAQs section.