AMD treatment

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AMD Treatment

Genes and age are the 2 main risk factors

The number 65 cause of severe vision loss in people over 65

Smokers are 5 times more likely to suffer AMD

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

AMD is a degenerative disease of the macula, the central area of the retina, which causes progressive deterioration of the cells and the retinal pigment epithelium. This results in a loss of central vision.

There are two types:

  • Dry AMD: Affecting 80% of patients, its progression is slow and gradual. The deposits that accumulate in the area cause atrophy of the macula, producing slow vision loss in the central area of the field of vision.
  • Wet AMD: Characterized by the growth of new blood vessels with very thin walls, resulting in the leakage of fluid and blood into the macula. Vision loss is rapid.

What Causes AMD?

AMD is a degenerative disease caused by the aging of the central area of the retina. The main risk factors are:

  • Age
  • Smoking
  • Genetic predisposition
  • High blood pressure

How Can AMD Be Prevented?

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

The over-50s are recommended to:

  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Not smoke
  • Have regular eye check-ups

Symptoms of AMD

AMD sufferers progressively lose their central vision, causing difficulty in reading, writing, driving, sewing, or other tasks that require precision.

  • Sufferers may have difficulty recognizing people’s faces, but can walk without tripping and can maintain a certain level of independence.
  • The disease usually starts in one eye but eventually affects both.
  • As a result, sufferers tend not to be aware of visual problems unless they cover the good eye and notice that vision is distorted in the affected eye.

A simple test the over-50s can do once a week is to cover one eye and then the other to see if straight lines, such as those formed by handrails or door frames, appear distorted. If they do, the person should immediately visit their ophthalmologist.

Associated Treatments

  • Wet AMD can be controlled with intravitreal antiangiogenic drugs, which function to slow blood vessel growth.
  • For dry AMD, effective treatment has yet to be found, although administering antioxidant complexes can slow the disease. Studies are currently being conducted into genetic predisposition to AMD.

The aim in the near future is to identify people at higher risk of developing the disease and monitor them closely.

Treatments include:

  • Vitrectomy
  • Intravitreal injections
  • Photodynamic therapy