Age-related Macular Degeneration

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a form of macular dystrophy, most common in those over 65. The macular, which is part of the retina at the back of the eye, contains millions of cone cells. These cone cells allow you to see fine detail for things like reading, writing and recognising colours. When someone develops AMD, the cone cells become damaged and stop working as they should. There are two main types of AMD – “wet” and "dry". Wet AMD causes sight loss more rapidly than the more common “dry” AMD. It usually affects both eyes though not always at the same time. There are other forms of macular dystrophy that occur in children and younger people like Stargardt’s Syndrome, and while this affects vision in much the same way as AMD, it is far less common. AMD does not cause complete loss of sight. It affects the central vision, which can become distorted or blurry. Eventually a blank patch may appear. This lack of central vision makes reading, recognising faces or watching television more difficult. As you can see from our simulation a blank patch or black spot has formed on the central vision making it difficult to see detail but side vision is unaffected. Turning your head to the side, however, cannot make up for the loss of central vision as your peripheral vision does not convey as much detail as the middle of the retina. Everyone can have slightly different symptoms, but typically the first thing people notice is greater difficulty seeing detail. Straight lines may start to look distorted, wavy or bumpy. They may also have increased sensitivity to bright light. There is no treatment for dry AMD. But there is some evidence of certain vitamins and minerals helping to slow its progression. Treatment is available for wet AMD using medication which minimises further damage to sight. In some instances people can be re-trained to see detail and objects without using their central vision.