What is Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes the macula – the centre of the retina – to deteriorate. It can be the dry type – when yellow waste material is deposited on the macula – or the wet type – when abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula, leak and damage it.

Nine in 10 patients have the dry type of AMD, which has a 10 per cent risk of becoming wet. The wet type leads to 90 per cent of AMD blindness. About five per cent of the population have this condition. Of those who are blind in both eyes, five per cent have AMD. The risk of getting it rises from two per cent at the age of 40 to 10 per cent at age 70.

Exposure to high-energy visible light from the sun may raise the risk of AMD, so wearing sunglasses will help. Consuming vitamins A, C and E, and zinc and copper, may slow down its progression. Regular laser therapy can seal leaky blood vessels and drugs can be injected regularly into the eye to stop their growth.

Top 5 causes of blindness:
1. Cataract
2. Undercorrected refractive errors
3. Glaucoma
4. Macular degeneration
5. Diabetic Retinopathy