AMD treatment

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Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Treatment

Genes and age are the two main risk factors

It is the 65th leading cause of severe vision loss in people over 65 years of age

Smokers are 5 times more likely to suffer from AMD

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

AMD is a degenerative disease that affects the macula, the central part of the retina, causing progressive deterioration of the retinal cells and the retinal pigment epithelium. This leads to a loss of central vision.

There are two types:

  1. Dry AMD: Affecting 80% of patients, its progression is slow and gradual. Deposits accumulate in the area, leading to macula atrophy and causing gradual vision loss in the central field of vision.
  2. Wet AMD: Characterized by the growth of new blood vessels with very thin walls, leading to fluid and blood leakage into the macula. Vision loss occurs rapidly.

What Causes AMD?

AMD is a degenerative disease caused by the aging of the central area of the retina.

The main risk factors include:

  • Age
  • Smoking
  • Genetic predisposition
  • High blood pressure

How Can AMD Be Prevented?

AMD cannot be prevented as it is associated with aging. However, since a higher incidence is observed in smokers and individuals with a family history of the disease, certain measures can be taken:

  • People over 50 are recommended to maintain a healthy diet, avoid smoking, and have regular eye check-ups.

Symptoms

AMD sufferers gradually lose their central vision, which affects tasks like reading, writing, driving, sewing, and other activities that require precision.

  • Patients may struggle to recognize faces but can still walk without tripping and maintain a certain level of independence.
  • The disease usually starts in one eye but eventually affects both.
  • Most individuals do not notice vision issues unless they cover the unaffected eye and realize their vision is distorted in the affected eye.
  • A simple test for individuals over 50 is to cover one eye, then the other, and check if straight lines, like those from door frames or railings, appear distorted. If so, they should visit an ophthalmologist immediately.

Associated Treatments

  1. Wet AMD: Can be controlled with intravitreal anti-angiogenic drugs, which function to slow the growth of blood vessels.
  2. Dry AMD: There is currently no effective treatment, though antioxidant complexes may slow the disease's progression. Ongoing studies are investigating the genetic predisposition to AMD.
    • In the near future, the goal is to identify individuals at higher risk of the disease and closely monitor them.

Available Treatments:

  • Vitrectomy
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Photodynamic Therapy