Macular Degeneration: Early Signs, Wet vs Dry and Treatment

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of sight loss in older people worldwide. It affects the macula, the part of the retina used for reading, recognising faces and seeing detail. Side vision usually stays intact, but everyday life can become much harder.

Imagine your grandmother saying the lines of her crossword look wavy, and that there’s a grey smudge in the middle of the TV picture. She thinks she just needs new glasses. In wet AMD, a delay of weeks can mean permanent loss of central sight. An urgent eye check could protect what she still has.

Early signs

• Straight lines looking wavy or bent
• A blurred or dark patch in the centre of vision
• Difficulty reading or recognising faces
• Colours looking less bright, needing more light to read

Dry vs wet AMD

• Dry AMD is the most common form and develops slowly over years. There’s no cure, but low-vision aids help, and for some people specific vitamin and mineral supplements (based on the AREDS2 study) may slow progression.
• Wet AMD develops quickly when abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina. Injections into the eye (anti-VEGF treatment) can stabilise and sometimes improve vision if started early.

But can you lower your risk?

Age and genetics play a big role, but stopping smoking is the most important thing you can do; smoking greatly increases the risk. A diet rich in leafy greens and fish, protecting eyes from bright sunlight, managing blood pressure and having regular eye tests all help.

Sources: World Health Organization (World report on vision), US National Eye Institute (AREDS2), NHS (Age-related macular degeneration), American Academy of Ophthalmology. This guide is for general information and does not replace advice from your own nurse, doctor or optometrist.