Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) damages the macula, the central retinal area responsible for fine detail, reading, facial recognition, and colour discrimination. Peripheral vision is often preserved, so a person may still navigate a room while being unable to read a medication label safely. The dry form develops through retinal pigment and photoreceptor injury, often with drusen and progressive atrophy. It usually worsens gradually, although the two eyes may be affected differently. The neovascular, or wet, form develops when abnormal choroidal blood vessels grow beneath or into the retina. These vessels leak fluid or blood, disrupting the macula and causing a rapid change in central vision. The speed and quality of the visual change matter more than the diagnostic label alone. Gradual difficulty reading may reflect dry AMD, whereas new waviness, a blank central area, or sudden central blur raises concern for neovascular conversion. AMD is generally painless. Pain, marked redness, or an abrupt fall in vision suggests an additional ocular problem or, after an injection, a sight-threatening complication.