Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

AMD is one of the most common causes of poor vision after age 60. While many genetic and environmental factors relate to the development of AMD, the common thread that connects this group of vision-threatening conditions is age beyond 65 years. Hypertension, obesity, and smoking are recognized risk factors.

Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Changes occur in the support lining of the retinal tissue along the undersurface, which lead to deposits of waste material (drusen), with or without areas of erosion or loss of the important support tissue at the center of the macula. Vision loss, if it occurs, tends to be gradual rather than sudden.

Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration

A relatively small but significant percentage of patients who have evidence of dry macular degeneration will progress to the wet or leaking form. In this condition, blood vessels form at or near the defects in the lining of the macula and push through to the undersurface of the retina causing leakage of clear fluid (serum) and/or blood cells. Symptoms associated with onset of wet AMD include distortion of images, loss of color perception, permanent dark spots in or near central vision, or just overall lack of ability to focus at near.