Eye health
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
What age-related macular degeneration is, who is more likely to develop it and what helps.
AMD: have your eyes wide open
What is macular degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, affects the macula: the small centre of the retina that gives you the sharp, central vision you use to read, write, drive and look someone in the eye. As we get older the cells of the macula can gradually wear down. To some extent this is part of normal ageing.
There is currently no cure for AMD. If it is found early, it can be monitored and managed, and healthy habits can help. That is why it is worth knowing the facts.
Who is more likely to develop AMD
Age, family and smoking
Age
AMD can occur earlier, but studies show that people over about 60 are more likely to develop it than younger people.
Family history
Studies show that your chances are higher if a parent, child or sibling has macular degeneration.
Smoking
If you smoke, you are more likely to develop macular degeneration than someone who has never smoked.
What you might notice
Early on, there may be nothing
AMD is painless, and in the early stages there may be no symptoms. As it progresses you may start to notice blurry patches or dark spots in the central part of your vision. Things may look less bright than they used to, or look distorted.
If you notice changes like these, have your eyes examined. Your optometrist looks at the macula at an eye test.
Dry AMD
The more common type
The tissues of the macula thin over time, often with fatty deposits in the retina. Its effects tend to be less serious than those of wet AMD.
Wet AMD
Less common, faster
New, unstable blood vessels grow under the retina. They can leak fluid and scar the macula, causing more rapid vision loss. Dry AMD can progress to wet AMD.
Checking the macula
Your eye test, and a scan of the retina
Regular eye tests help with finding AMD early, and finding it early is what lets it be monitored and managed. Some practices can also take an OCT (optical coherence tomography) scan. It uses light waves to take a cross-section picture of your retina, so that its layers and their thickness can be seen and followed over time.
An OCT scan does not usually form part of a normal eye test. Ask your optometrist whether it suits you, and whether it costs extra.
Healthy habits
What you can do
An early diagnosis and a healthy lifestyle are the key. You can do a lot to lower your risk of AMD or slow its progress.
Don't smoke
If you smoke, stopping is one of the most helpful things you can do for your eyes.
Wear sunglasses
Protect your eyes from bright sunlight with sunglasses that block UV.
Eat well
Many nutrients in fresh, unprocessed foods are linked with healthy eyes. A feast for your eyes.
Keep moving, keep a healthy weight
Being overweight increases the risk of macular degeneration. Exercise regularly.
Check your blood pressure and cholesterol
People with high blood pressure and high cholesterol have a higher risk of wet macular degeneration. Have them checked often.
Your optometrist's role
Regular eye tests
With both types of AMD, regular eye tests are the way to find it early. A diagnosis is important, because it is what allows the disease to be monitored and its progress slowed.
Have your eyes checked
At your eye test, your optometrist looks at the health of your eyes and talks you through what they find.
Book an eye testSource: Macular Disease Foundation Australia, Macular disease.