What is Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

Types of AMD:

The disease is divided into two types: Dry AMD (atrophic) dry type and Wet AMD (neovascular or exudative) wet type.

1. Dry AMD:

In the retina, there is a cell called the Bruch Membrane, which sits between the blood vessels and the photoreceptor. As the Bruch Membrane becomes thicker and weaker, it accumulates protein and lipid, causing bloating and swelling, which we called Drusen.

It affects about 80-90% of people with AMD. Its cause is not yet known, it progresses more slowly than the wet type and no cure or treatment has been approved yet.

If Drusen is small, it may not cause a change in your vision but if they increase more and more, it can cause blurring or distortion of your vision, especially when you are reading a book. As the condition worsens, the cells that are prone to loss of light in your macular thinner and eventually die. In the Dry AMD form, you may have a blind spot in the center of your vision. As it gets worse, you may lose central vision.

2. Wet AMD:

Blood vessels grow beneath your macular. These blood vessels leak blood and fluid into your retina. It causes rapid loss of vision, causing your vision to be distorted so that straight lines look like waves. This type affects about 10-15% of individuals with age-related macular degeneration, but about 90% of cases of severe central vision loss from the disease due to bleeding eventually form a label scar.

Symptom of AMD

If you are in the early stages, the patient may not be aware of the symptoms. But noticeable is the gradual or sudden change in the quality of your view, or straight lines appear to be different waves than you. This can lead to a gradual loss of your central vision.

Other symptoms include:

• Blurred in the central of your vision.
• In rare cases, you may have a change in your perception of color.
• Blurred vision.
• Straight lines, such as phrases on a page that appear wavy or distorted.
• Difficulty reading or viewing details in low light.
• Extra sensitivity to light.

Cause of AMD

• Most common in the elderly over the age of 50, the disease causes loss of vision in the center by normal close-up images.
• Genetic
• Smoking
• Drink Alcohol
• Occur to postmenopausal women.

Obesity:

Research has shown that obesity can increase your chances of early or moderate eye failure progressing to a more severe form of the disease.

Cardiovascular disease:

Diagnosis of AMD

• Amsler Grid test
• Refraction
• Visual Acuity Test or Eye Chart Test
• Inject fluorescence for angiography to look for new growth cells in blood vessels or bleeding sites.
• Dilate pupil.
• Slit-Lamp.
• OCT

Prevention of AMD

Eye Health Check If you are over 50, your vision should include a screening test.

Regularly view your vision every day using the Amsler-Grid method, a straight-line pattern that looks like a dashboard. It can help you see changes in your vision.

Quit smoking, eat a balanced diet that includes green leafy vegetables, and protect your eyes with sunglasses that block out ultraviolet rays.

According to an age-related ophthalmic study, supplements containing antioxidants combined with zinc may lower the risk of AMD.

Treatment of AMD

Consumption of diet (Zinc, Lutein, Omega-3 fatty acids, Beta-carotene, Zeaxanthin, Vitamin A-C E…).

Quit smoking and drinking alcohol.

Anti-angiogenic drugs:

Doctors inject these drugs into your eyes to stop new blood vessels from forming and prevent leaks caused by AMD deformities. Some people who take these medications may experience vision loss and may need further treatment for this vision problem.

Laser therapy:

Doctors may recommend high-energy laser therapy, which can damage abnormal growth vessels.