February is AMD awareness month. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in patients over the age of 60. Most seniors will have friends and acquaintances in their age cohort who have been affected by this disease.
As indicated by its name, the primary risk factor for AMD is increasing age, but not everyone is doomed to develop AMD as they get older. AMD affects about 2% of people in the age range of 50-59, and this increases to about 25% of people over the age of 75.
Vision loss due to macular degeneration involves the central vision. Common symptoms include shadowy areas, blur or distortion, or a blind spot in the central zone of your vision. You may notice more difficulty reading and seeing fine details, recognizing faces at a distance, and seeing print on TV or road signs while driving. AMD does NOT cause complete blindness; vision loss is localized to the central vision, and your peripheral or side vision remains unaffected.
In early stages of AMD, there may not be any visual symptoms at all, and your vision may still be 20/20. However, a comprehensive eye examination by your optometrist can detect early changes/damage to the macula before vision loss has occurred. If early AMD is detected, your optometrist may recommend options to prevent or slow progression of the disease. Typically, we will discuss important lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, smoking cessation, UV protection options, and vitamin supplements.
There are two types of AMD: dry and wet. Dry AMD is typically less severe and slower to progress, but dry AMD can change to the wet form of AMD anytime. In the past – even ten years ago - having wet AMD almost guaranteed central vision loss within months. But now, there are effective treatments for wet AMD (in the form of medications injected into the eye) that can help patients maintain reasonably good vision for years.
If you are over the age of 50, and/or have a family history of macular degeneration, it is recommended you see your optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam every one to two years to screen for early AMD changes.
Dr. Lisa Scharf