Introduction

Have you been told that you have a disease called age-related macular degeneration, or AMD? If you have been told this, you're not alone. Millions of people in this country have some type of AMD. In fact, it is the most common reason people over the age of 65 can lose their central vision. New studies suggest that it can happen as early as age 55. People with AMD can potentially become legally blind.

AMD is a disease of the retina. That's the place in the back of your eye where light is changed to electrical impulses, which are then sent to your brain so you can see.

There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Dry AMD is associated with small yellow particles called drusen and black particles called pigment change. These are deposits in the macula, which is the part of the retina that keeps your central vision clear and sharp. About nine out of 10 people with AMD have the dry type, with little or no vision loss.

People with wet AMD can have large drusen, and often a lot more drusen than people with dry AMD. In wet AMD, new blood vessels begin to grow under the retina in the macula area. Then they break and start to leak. This is why this disease is called wet AMD. The leaking blood vessels lead to severe loss of vision in the middle of your eyesight. About one in 10 people with AMD will develop the wet form.