macular degeneration faq NOTE:  This information is for people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and their families and friends. It provides information about AMD and answers questions about its causes and symptoms. Diagnosis and types of treatment are described. The information provided here is provided with no warranty or guarantee and should not be considered professional advice.  You should consult a licensed doctor to discover any course of action for your specific case.  We assume no liability for the content. What is age-related macular degeneration? Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that blurs the sharp, central vision you need for "straight-ahead" activities such as reading, sewing, and driving. AMD affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. AMD causes no pain. In some cases, Age-related Macular Degeneration advances so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in both eyes. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. Where is the macula? The macula is located in the center of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The retina instantly converts light, or an image, into electrical impulses. The retina then sends these impulses, or nerve signals, to the brain. Are there different forms of AMD? Age-related macular degeneration occurs in two forms: wet and dry. What is wet AMD? Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration 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 considered to be advanced AMD and is more severe than the dry form. An early symptom of wet Age-related Macular Degeneration is that straight lines appear wavy. If you notice this condition or other changes to your vision, contact your eye doctor at once. You may need a comprehensive dilated eye exam. What is dry Age-related Macular Degeneration? 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 in the affected eye can be lost gradually. The most common symptom of dry Age-related Macular Degeneration is slightly blurred vision. You may have difficulty recognizing faces. You may need more light for reading and other tasks. Dry AMD generally affects both eyes, but vision can be lost in one eye while the other eye seems unaffected. One of the most common early signs of dry AMD is drusen. Drusen are yellow deposits under the retina. They often are found in people over age 60. Your eye doctor can detect drusen during a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration has three stages, all of which may occur in one or both eyes: Early AMD. People with early AMD have either several small drusen or a few medium-sized drusen. At this stage, there are no symptoms and no vision loss. Intermediate AMD. People with intermediate AMD have either many medium-sized drusen or one or more large drusen. Some people see a blurred spot in the center of their vision. More light may be needed for reading and other tasks. Advanced Dry AMD. In addition to drusen, people with advanced dry AMD have a breakdown of light-sensitive cells and supporting tissue in the central retinal area. This breakdown can cause a blurred spot in the center of your vision. Over time, the blurred spot may get bigger and darker, taking more of your central vision. You may have difficulty reading or recognizing faces until they are very close to you. If you have vision loss from dry Age-related Macular Degeneration in one eye only, you may not notice any changes in your overall vision. With the other eye seeing clearly, you still can drive, read, and see fine details. You may notice changes in your vision only if AMD affects both eyes. If blurriness occurs in your vision, see an eye doctor for a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Do drusen cause vision loss in advanced dry AMD? Drusen alone do not usually cause vision loss. In fact, scientists are unclear about the connection between drusen and AMD. They do know that an increase in the size or number of drusen raises a person's risk of developing either advanced dry AMD or wet AMD. These changes can cause serious vision loss. The dry form has early and intermediate stages.  Does the wet form have similar stages? No. The wet form is considered advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration. Can advanced AMD be either the dry form or the wet form? Yes. Both the wet form and the advanced dry form are considered advanced AMD. Vision loss occurs with either form. In most cases, only advanced AMD can cause vision loss. People who have advanced AMD in one eye are at especially high risk of developing advanced AMD in the other eye. Which is more common - the dry form or the wet form? The dry form is much more common. More than 85 percent of all people with intermediate and advanced AMD combined have the dry form. However, if only advanced AMD is considered, about two-thirds of patients have the wet form. Because almost all vision loss comes from advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration, the wet form leads to significantly more vision loss than the dry form.