Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye illness that can have an adverse impact or blur your vision. It usually occurs after a person attains a certain age — the portion of the eye that controls straight-ahead vision. The macula is a portion of the retina which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
Age-related macular degeneration is a common disorder — it is one of the leading reasons for vision loss for older people. AMD causes partial blindness, not complete blindness, but losing the central vision will be going to make it hard to recognize any face or thing at the first glance, read, drive or do work such as household work, and cooking.
Types and Stages of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Dry AMD – Most people suffering from AMD have dry AMD. This happens when the macula starts to deplete with age. Dry AMD happens in three stages: early, intermediate, and late. It usually progresses slowly over the period of several years. There’s no treatment for late dry AMD, but you can find ways to save your remaining vision. And if you are suffering from late dry AMD in only 1 eye, then you can take steps to guard your other eye.
Wet AMD – It is known as advanced neovascular AMD, this is not that common, and it grows at a faster pace in comparison to dry AMD. Dry AMD can turn into wet AMD. It occurs when abnormal blood vessels accumulate at the back the eye and harms the macula. But the only good thing about wet AMD is that the cure is available.
Only a limited number of medications are licensed to cure this illness, habitually by anti-VEGFs. Such medicines require regular and uncomfortable intraocular injections, which improves the strain and source non-adherence to treatment.
How Can you Lower the Risk for AMD?
You can lower the risk of AMD (or slow vision loss from AMD) by making these healthy choices:
- Don’t smoke
- Do regular physical exercise
- Keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check
- Eat healthy foods, like leafy green vegetables and fish