G7: In Focus: Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that can blur your central vision. It happens when aging causes damage to the macula — the part of the eye that controls sharp, straight-ahead vision.

Visual loss in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can occur within months, or over many years, depending on the type and severity.

About one in seven people over the age of 50 years have some evidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Once dry AMD reaches the advanced stage, there is no form of treatment at present to prevent further vision loss. However, there are intervention measures that could delay and possibly prevent intermediate AMD from worsening

Treatments are available that may help slow disease progression, preserve existing vision and, if started early enough, recover some lost vision.

For more than a decade, ophthalmologists have treated wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with eye injections given every month or two, and dry AMD with antioxidant vitamins.