What are the two types of Macular Degeneration?

• Dry AMD: Dry AMD occurs when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down, gradually blurring central vision in the affected eye. It is diagnosed when yellow deposits known as drusen accumulate in the macula. Dry AMD causes gradual central vision loss, but the loss usually is not as severe as can be found with the wet type.
•  Wet AMD: Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula. These new blood vessels tend to be very fragile and often leak blood and fluid. This blood and fluid raises the macula from its normal place at the back of the eye, causing scarring and permanent damage to light-sensitive retinal cells, which creates blind or blurry spots in the central vision.

What are the symptoms of AMD?

• Blurred vision
• Dark area or “blind spot”
• Distorted appearance of straight lines or other objects.

What are the treatments for AMD?

• Dry AMD: The National Eye Institute’s Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) found that taking a specific high-dose formulation of antioxidants and zinc can reduce the risk of progression of dry AMD in some patients. The AREDS formulation is not a cure for AMD. It will not restore vision already lost from the disease. However, it may delay the onset of advanced AMD. It may also help people who are at high risk for developing advanced AMD keep their vision.
• Wet AMD: Wet AMD can be treated with laser therapy, photodynamic therapy, and injections into the eye. Some patients receive one of these treatments and some patients receive a combination of these treatments. None of these treatments is a cure for wet AMD, but they may halt the progression of the disease and in some cases allow for some gain in visual acuity.
• Laser Therapy: This procedure uses a high energy beam of light to seal or destroy the abnormal blood vessels to prevent leaking and further loss of vision. However, laser treatment may also destroy some surrounding healthy tissue and some vision. Therefore, only a small percentage of people with wet AMD is treated with laser surgery- mainly those whose leaky blood vessels have developed away from the central part of the macula. The risk of new blood vessels developing after laser treatment is high and repeated treatments may be necessary.
• Photodynamic Therapy: This procedure uses a combination of light and drug therapy to destroy leaking blood vessels. First, a drug called Verteporfin is injected into a patient’s arm. It travels throughout the body, including to the eye, where it “sticks” to the surface of new leaky blood vessels. Next, a light is shone into the eye for about 90 seconds. The light activates the drug which destroys the new blood vessels, leading to a slower rate of visual decline. Unlike laser surgery, the drug does not destroy surrounding healthy tissue. This therapy slows the rate of vision loss but does not stop vision loss altogether or restore vision in eyes already damaged by AMD. Treatment results are often temporary and may need to be repeated.

What are the treatments available?

• Laser Photocoagulation to control leaking capillaries and prevent the growth of new capillaries,
• Intravitreal Injections to reduce macular oedema and improve the quality of vision,
• Vitrectomy to remove cloudy vitreous and scar tissue, and
• Cryotherapy to shrink capillaries and repair the retina

What are the ways to prevent this? 

• Regular eye exams
• Diet
• Medications
• Regular Exercise
• Blood sugar and blood pressure control
• Avoidance of alcohol and cigarettes