What is AMD?
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eyedisease thatcanblur your central vision. It happens when aging causes damage to the macula — the part of the eye that controls sharp, straight-ahead vision. The macula is part of the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye).
AMD is a common condition— it’sa leading cause of vision lossforolder adults.AMDdoesn’t causecompleteblindness,but losing yourcentral visioncan make it harder tosee faces, read, drive, or do close-upworklikecooking or fixing things around the house.
AMDhappens veryslowlyin some people and faster in others. If you have early AMD, you may not noticevision loss for a long time.That’s why it’s important to get regular eye exams to find out if you have AMD.
What are the types and stages of AMD?
There are 2 types of AMD: dry and wet.
Most people with AMD have dry AMD (also called atrophic AMD). This is when the macula gets thinner with age. Dry AMD happens in 3 stages: early, intermediate, and late. It usually progresses slowly over several years. There’s no treatment for late dry AMD, but you can find ways to make the most of your remaining vision. And if you have late dry AMD in only 1 eye, you can take steps to protect your other eye.
Wet AMD (also called advanced neovascular AMD), is a less common type of late AMD that usually causes faster vision loss. Any stage of dry AMD can turn into wet AMD — but wet AMD is always late stage. It happens when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye and damage the macula. The good news is that treatment options are available for wet AMD.
What are the symptoms of AMD?
The symptoms of AMD depend on the stage. Dry AMD happens in 3 stages: early, intermediate, and late. AMD is a progressive disease —that means symptoms usually get worse over time.
- Early dry AMD doesn’t cause any symptoms.
- In intermediate dry AMD, some people still have no symptoms. Others may notice mild symptoms, like mild blurriness in their central vision or trouble seeing in low lighting.
- In late AMD (wet or dry type), many people notice thatstraight lines start to look wavy or crooked. You may also notice ablurryarea near the center ofyourvision. Over time,this blurryarea mayget biggeror you mayseeblank spots.Colors mayalsoseem lessbrightthan before, and you may have more trouble seeing in low lighting.
Straight lines looking wavy is a warning sign for lateAMD. If you notice this symptom, see your eye doctor right away.
Am I at risk for AMD?
Your risk for AMD increases as you get older.People age55 and older are more likely to have AMD.The risk for AMD is also higher for people who:
- Have a family history ofAMD
- AreCaucasian
- Smoke
If you’re at risk for AMD because ofyourage, family history, orotherfactors,it’s important to get regular eye exams. Ask your doctor how often you need to get eye exams. Early AMD doesn’t have any symptoms, so don’t wait for your vision to change!
How can I lower my risk for AMD?
Researchshowsthatyoumaybe able toloweryour risk of AMD(or slow vision loss from AMD)by making these healthy choices:
- Quit smoking — or don’t start
- Get regular physical activity
- Maintainhealthyblood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Eathealthy foods, includingleafygreenvegetables and fish
Did you know?
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AMD is very common — 11 million people in the United States have it
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Late AMD can happen in 1 or both eyes
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Having late AMD in 1 eye puts you at higher risk of developing late AMD in your other eye
How will my eye doctor check for AMD?
Eye doctors can check forAMDas part ofacomprehensivedilated eye exam.The exam issimple and painless —your doctor will give you some eye drops to dilate (widen) your pupil and then check your eyesforAMDand other eye problems.
Learn what to expect from a dilated eye exam
Your doctor may also recommend doinga test called optical coherence tomography (OCT). In an OCTtest, your eye doctorwill takepicturesof the inside of your eye with a specialmachine.
What’s the treatment for AMD?
Treatment for AMD depends on the stage and type. There’s currently no treatment for early AMD,soyour eye doctorwill probablyjust keep track of how your eyes are doingwith regular eye exams.Eating healthy, getting regular exercise, and quitting smoking can also help.
If youhave intermediate AMD in 1 or both eyes,specialdietary supplements (vitamins and minerals) may be able tostop it from turning into late AMD.If you have late AMD in only 1 eye, these supplements may slow down AMD in your other eye.
Learn more about supplements for AMD
If you have wet AMD, there are othertreatmentsthatmay be able to stopfurthervision loss:
- Medicines called anti-VEGF drugsthat the doctor injects in your eye
- Photodynamic therapy(PDT), a combination of injections and laser treatment
Learn more about treatments for wet AMD
There’s currently no treatment for late dry AMD — but researchers are hard at work looking for treatment options. And you can get support to help you live with vision loss from AMD.
How do I live with vision loss from AMD?
Not everyone with AMD develops late AMD or gets it in both eyes. But if you do,livingwith vision lossfrom AMDcan bechallenging.Havinglow vision means that even with glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, your vision loss makes it hard to doeveryday tasks.
The good news is,there are things that can help — like low vision devices andvision rehabservices. Vision rehab can help you learn the skills you need to stay independent and active with low vision.
Learn more about low vision
Featured Resource: Talk with Your Doctor About Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Do you have AMD? This guide makes it easy to talk with your doctor about what this means. It includes:
- Information about AMD
- Questions for the doctor
- A symptom tracker
Get the guide
What's the latest research on AMD?
Scientists are studying what causesAMDand how we can treat it better.
One NEI research team found a way to treat dry AMD in animals using stem cells. Researchers are now testing whether this treatment is safe for people. This research could lead to a treatment for dry AMD in the future. Learn how to participate in a clinical trial on stem cells.
Get the latest news on NEI-supported AMD research
AMD Resources
- Find statistics and data on AMD in the United States
- Check out our library of AMD videos
- Get flyers, booklets, and other resources to print or download
