How do I know if I could have AMD? – The Symptoms

AMD primarily affects a person’s center, sharp, and color vision. One of the first noticeable symptoms is often decreased night vision. Patients with AMD also often experience trouble reading — their ability to see things clearly directly in front of them decreases. Other symptoms include straight lines looking wavy, dark or blind spots in the center of vision, and changing color vision. 

One simple way that patients are tested for AMD is with the Amsler Grid, one eye at a time. When a person with normal vision looks at this grid, they will see it’s straight lines (on the left). When a person’s vision is affected by AMD, the lines in the center of the grid will appear wavy (reconstructed below on the right). 

What is Macular Degeneration? – The Disease

There are two types of AMD — “dry” and “wet.” Approximately 80 percent of AMD patients have the less severe form — dry AMD.

Let’s dive into what this means and take a look at how macular degeneration happens.

The retina is the tissue located in the back of the eye that captures light and sends it to your brain for processing. The center of the retina is called the macula, and this is the specific part of the retina that is responsible for sharp, central vision and color vision. 

Macular degeneration happens when small, yellow protein build-ups called “drusen” form under the macula. More drusen builds up over time and prevents the macula from getting the proper nutrients it needs — leading to deterioration of the macula and vision loss. Eventually, entire regions of cells in the macula and retina can completely die. This is called geographic atrophy and is an irreversible process. 

During your annual eye exam, eyecare providers are able to detect the yellow drusen in your eye. This is important because an early diagnosis is critical to effectively treat AMD.

At any point in the development of dry AMD, the disease can progress to wet AMD, which is more severe. New, abnormal blood vessels in the back of the eye start to form and grow into the retina. These blood vessels are small and weak. They often hemorrhage and leak blood and fluid into the eye. This can cause rapid, irreversible damage to your vision. Progressive vision loss from wet AMD often includes a dark spot in the middle of your vision accompanied by distortion. The graphic below illustrates the progression of eyesight with wet AMD, accompanied by corresponding Amsler Grids.

How do patients manage AMD? – The Treatments

Dry AMD

Eyecare providers will often recommend that patients with dry AMD make some lifestyle changes to support their eye health and slow vision loss. 

Wet AMD

Injections of medication into the eye to prevent blood vessels from growing are usually necessary. These injections are administered approximately every 4-6 weeks and by retina specialists.

With all this in mind, it’s important for everyone to take their vision seriously and schedule an annual eye exam.

At Nanodropper, we are committed to eye health education and increasing access to patient care. Learn more about how Nanodropper can improve your eyedrop experience.

Author: Alena Rainsberry