What is the macula?

• It’s a structure at the central fixated focal point of the retina, responsible for the inner 5-10 degrees of vision.
• Most light passes through the cornea and the lens to focus on the macula.
• It’s vital for reading, seeing in colour and facial recognition.

What is Aged-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

• It’s the number one cause of legal blindness in Australia. Approximately 1 in 7 people over the age of 50 will show some signs of AMD.
• It’s caused by a chronic accumulation of waste products (drusen) in the macula. These disrupt the water/blood barrier function at the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).
• AMD leads to loss of central vision.

Types of AMD

There are 2 main types of AMD

Dry (Atrophic) AMD:

• The most common form.
• Caused by ever-increasing deposits of Drusen under the macula.
• Also causes scarring and secondary thinning of retinal tissue.
• Leads to a gradual loss of vision.
• There is no current proven treatment.

Wet AMD:

• Disruption of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) barrier functions.
• Formation of abnormal blood vessels around the weakness.
• Leakage of blood or water.
• Distorts the macular architecture.
• Rapid and sudden distortion of central vision and significant loss of vision.
• Can be treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF (Anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy) injections.

What are the symptoms of AMD?

• Consistent blurred vision usually detected by covering 1 eye and compare.
• Distortion of vision that can be detected via an Amsler Grid test.
• Loss of contrast sensitivity.
• Missing spaces or dark spots in vision.
• Slow recovery of vision following exposure to bright light.
• Difficulty distinguishing faces.
• Difficulty reading or performing other tasks that require central vision.

What are the risk factors of AMD?

• Age over 50 years.
• Family history of AMD.
• High cholesterol.
• High blood pressure.
• Smoking.
• Poor diet.
• Excessive sunlight exposure.
• Genetics – Caucasians are more likely to develop AMD than other races.

What are the treatment options for AMD?

Dry AMD

Currently, there is no treatment option available for dry AMD. However, studies show that diet, vitamin supplements and lifestyle changes may slow the progression of dry AMD.

Wet AMD

Intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. These medications are injected into the eye to stop the growth of abnormal blood vessels.

What are intravitreal injections?

• Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (Anti-VEGF) injections act by inhibiting the growth of abnormal blood vessels and help prevent leakage of these blood vessels.
• Common Anti-VEGF agents are Eylea (aflibercept), Avastin (bevacizumab), Lucentis (ranibizumab) and Beovu (brolocizumab). They are injected using a fine needle directly into the globe of the eye.
• These injections must be repeated on a regular basis, anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks apart.

What is the prognosis of AMD?

• Anti-VEGF injections will maintain or improve vision and prevent the condition from becoming worse in about 70% of patients treated. About 10% of patients may not respond to the injections at all.

Tips for protecting eye health and preventing macular degeneration:

• Eat a heathy diet including fresh fruits, green vegetables, fish rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 and other foods rich on Omega fatty acids.
• Quit smoking.
• Maintain good control blood pressures/cholesterol levels and other medical conditions.
• Stay physically active.
• Wear sunglasses when you are outdoors.
• Get regular eye exams and consult your optometrist/ophthalmologists if you notice any vision changes.
• Check for changes to vision with an Amsler Grid.