Minimise the risk of developing AMD

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a highly-treatable eye condition, and there are various ways to reduce the risk of developing a problem that can lead to vision loss.

Leading consultant ophthalmologist Miss Sengal Nadarajah has put together an informative article that looks at AMD, its early warning signs and causes, alongside providing useful treatment and lifestyle advice. 

What is AMD?

Age related macular degeneration (AMD), which is a leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50, is a condition that affects the central part of the retina called macula. There are two types of macular degeneration namely dry and wet AMD.

Dry AMD, which is seen in 80 per cent of cases, is the less severe of the two as it normally progresses slowly. It starts with deposits called drusen, which occur below the macula, progressing to cause thinning of the layers in the macula over time, leading to reduction in central vision.

There is a 10 to 15 per cent risk of dry AMD becoming wet, where abnormal blood vessels which develop under the macula leak blood or fluid. This can cause scarring of the macula which leads to loss of central vision very quickly. The peripheral usually remains intact.

What are the early warning signs of AMD?

There are no significant visual problems in the early stages, except some difficulty in reading in low light. As the condition progresses there will be increasing difficulty with reading even with appropriate glasses, distortion in the vision or blind spots in the central vision.

This can be detected using a graph paper or a special grid designed for this purpose called an Amsler grid. The assessment is done one eye at a time with reading glasses on, held at a comfortable reading distance. If the lines in the grid appear wavy or an area of lines are missing, this could mean you have AMD and you should see you optician promptly.

What causes AMD of the eye?

There is no exact cause for AMD but research indicates it may be caused by a combination of environmental factors like smoking, obesity and diet, alongside hereditary elements.

How is AMD treated?

Although there are many ongoing research trials for dry AMD currently, there is no treatment available at the present time. The more aggressive wet AMD can be treated with antiVEGF eye injections, which work by shrinking the abnormal blood vessels to slow down the progression.

Are there ways to avoid or reverse it, both medically and via lifestyle changes?

Lifestyle and diet are major factors in an individual's risk for AMD and therefore in addition to quitting smoking, it’s important to have a healthy, balanced diet which include dark green, leafy vegetables as well as yellow, orange and other colourful fruits and vegetables. Fatty fish such as salmon can also lower your risk of developing early or advanced AMD.

AREDS 2 (Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2), which was a very large research study, showed that some groups of people given high-dose vitamins and minerals had a significantly reduced risk of progression of AMD.

The AREDS 2 supplement consists of:

• Antioxidant plant pigments Lutein and Zeaxanthin;
• Vitamins C & E;
• Zinc and copper.

It was found to reduce the risk by 25 per cent from developing late-stage AMD in those with a lot of drusen, and vision loss in the second eye in those who lost vision in one eye from wet AMD.

If you want to reverse, or avoid, AMD, arrange an appointment with Surrey and Worthing ophthalmologist Miss Nadarajah today, via her Top Doctors profile.