In the early phases of AMD, sometimes the signs and symptoms may appear in only one eye. However, AMD is a “bilateral” disease meaning that you have it in both eyes. In other words, the signs of the disease eventually appear in both eyes.

Eye on AMD is our free patient support program. Eye on AMD connects people with AMD and their caregivers to the tools and resources that they might need as they manage their condition. The program offers unique information and resources to assist people at every stage of AMD.  top

There are two types of AMD, "wet" and "dry". While much progress has been made in tackling wet AMD, which is characterised by leaking blood vessels, no treatment is currently available for dry AMD. Dry AMD is the most common form and occurs in 9 of every 10 cases. In this type the cells in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of the macula gradually become thin and degenerate.

Approximately 43 per cent of people with wet AMD in one eye progress to wet AMD in both eyes within five years.

The initial symptoms of AMD can take a variety of forms. You may notice a loss of visual acuity (the ability to see small details) that cannot be corrected by the glasses your doctor prescribes. You may notice night vision problems or problems seeing under dim lighting. You may notice that straight lines appear distorted or wavy especially in the center of your vision, that a dark or blurry area always seems to be in your central vision, or that your perception of color changes.

There are two forms of AMD. About 10% of patients have the "wet" form. Nearly 90% of patients have the less sight-threatening "dry" form.

AMD Alliance is an international organization devoted to help AMD patients and their families. You may contact them at www.amdalliance.org or call 1-877-AMD-7171.

There is currently no cure for macular degeneration, but the Anti-Oxidants and Zinc in our eye vitamins have shown to slow the onset of AMD by up to 25%. Although wet macular degeneration is much more severe than dry macular degeneration, macular degeneration treatments like VisiVite Macular Degeneration Supplements can help reduce your risk of contracting AMD.

It is not known what specifically causes AMD. There has been a great deal of research on AMD in recent years in order to understand the course of events that underlie its emergence. Below we summarize the major theories that scientists have developed and are evaluating. Several characteristics of the retina make it potentially susceptible to damage from oxygen.

No. Currently there is no cure for AMD. This is why research programs on AMD are so important. Although not curable, there are a few treatments available that slow the progression of the disease for persons with specific types of the disease. Click here for more information regarding current treatment options.

Over 1.6 million Americans over age 60 have advanced AMD, and considering all cases of AMD, from early to late phases, 13 million Americans have the condition. AMD is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the U.S. and also the leading cause of legal blindness among older Americans.

Although AMD can occur during middle age, the risk increases as a person gets older. Results of a large study show that people in their 50s have about a two percent chance of getting AMD. This risk rises to nearly 30 percent in those over age 75. Besides age, other AMD risk factors include:

Neither dry nor wet AMD causes any pain. The most common symptom of dry AMD is slightly blurred vision. You may need more light for reading and other tasks. Also, you may find it hard to recognize faces until you are very close to them. dry AMD gets worse, you may see a blurred spot in the center of your vision. This spot occurs because a group of cells in the macula have stopped working properly. Over time, the blurred spot may get bigger and darker, taking more of your central vision.

Dry AMD currently cannot be treated. But this does not mean that you will lose your sight. Fortunately, dry AMD develops very slowly. You may lose some of your central vision over the years. However, most people are able to lead normal, active lives--especially if AMD affects only one eye. Some cases of wet AMD can be treated with laser surgery. The treatment involves aiming a high energy beam of light directly onto the leaking blood vessels.

Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula. These new blood vessels tend to be very fragile and often leak blood and fluid. The blood and fluid raise the macula from its normal place at the back of the eye. Damage to the macula occurs rapidly. With wet AMD, loss of central vision can occur quickly. Wet AMD is also known as advanced AMD. It does not have stages like dry AMD. early symptom of wet AMD is that straight lines appear wavy.

Dry AMD occurs when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down, gradually blurring central vision in the affected eye. As dry AMD gets worse, you may see a blurred spot in the center of your vision. Over time, as less of the macula functions, central vision is gradually lost in the affected eye. The most common symptom of dry AMD is slightly blurred vision. You may have difficulty recognizing faces. You may need more light for reading and other tasks.

Macular degeneration does tend to run in families - your risk of AMD is higher if there are other family members who have it. But we don't fully understand how this works. If there is a gene that determines AMD and multiple family members have it, why don't they all get the eye disease? Much of the research is focused on identifying the gene or genes of AMD and figuring out why some people get it and others don't. Other factors appear to contribute to the development of AMD.

No. You will never go totally blind from AMD. AMD affects only the central vision. Around the macula is the retina responsible for side vision (peripheral vision). The side vision lets you know what is around you. You will be able to walk around, dress yourself and do most daily tasks. Peripheral retina is not affected by AMD and there is no loss of side vision.

There is an increase in AMD among children of AMD patients. This is one more reason why your children, after age 40, should have regular eye exams at least every other year.

The macula is important to eyesight since it is the part of the eye responsible for detailed central or "straight ahead" vision. Although people with AMD rarely go completely blind because of this condition, they may find it difficult to read, recognize faces or colors, drive, and perform other daily functions that require central vision.

Wet AMD occurs when new blood vessels form in the macula under the retina. The blood vessels underneath the retina begin to leak, resulting in lasting damage to the retinal cells. The retina cells die and blind spots are created in the person's central vision. You can read more about Understanding Wet Macular Degeneration here.

Dry AMD - 90% of all people with AMD have this type. In dry AMD there is slow breakdown of the photoreceptor and RPE cells in the macula and a gradual impairment of central vision. Dry AMD is characterized by the presence of small yellow deposits under the retina called drusen, and by the appearance of small patches of defect in the macula called geographic atrophy (GA). Dry AMD usually causes only mild impairment of central vision.

The greatest risk factor for AMD is age. Although AMD may occur during middle age, studies show that people over age 60 are clearly at greater risk than other age groups. For instance, a large study found that people in middle-age have about a 2 percent risk of getting AMD, but this risk increased to nearly 30 percent in those over age 75. Another risk factor for AMD is a family history of AMD.