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AMD - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the macula, the central part of the retina, and can cause blurred vision or vision loss.

Written byDr. Dharmashree. R. D

Medically reviewed byDr. Prashant Koranmath

Published At December 20, 2019
Reviewed AtJune 2, 2025
AMD - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Introduction

AMD is a condition that affects vision. It can occur among older individuals, especially those over 55. This condition affects the macula and retina, affecting central vision. The affected individuals are not entirely blind, but their peripheral vision is fine.

The innermost portion of the human eye has a specific layer called the retina, which encompasses specialized cells called photoreceptor cells. These cells are responsible for grabbing light and thereby facilitating vision. Any disturbance or interference in the retinal area can impact a person's eyesight. Drusen bodies are one of a kind, which occasionally precipitate age-induced eye issues.

What Are Drusen Bodies?

Drusen bodies gather certain bodily materials like lipids (fats) and amino acids (proteins). In addition, it also contains leftover remains of cells (cellular debris). Drusen bodies are typically seen in the cellular covering of the retina. These bodies are routinely encountered in the elderly population group. However, only a small fraction of the population develops visual troubles from drusen bodies. Recent studies have concluded the association of Drusen bodies with age-related eye disorders like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where the patient encounters trouble seeing objects clearly and distinctly. Even though the presence of drusen does not necessitate the development of age-related eye issues, the probability of developing such issues will be notably higher in individuals with drusen bodies in the retina. Thus, drusen bodies expose an individual to age-related eye issues.

What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects the eye, causing a blurring of central vision. This condition occurs among those above the age of 50. Although it affects central vision, people rarely experience blindness. However, they may lose their ability to see fine details. In AMD, your macula is affected. The macula is a part of the retina. People may lose their ability to drive, see faces, and read small print in their advanced stages of AMD. In the early stage of AMD, you may not experience any symptoms. Hence, you may not suspect that you have AMD. AMD may be slower among a few and faster among some people. If a person is affected early by AMD, they may not notice vision loss for long. Aging people are hence advised to have eye examinations regularly to learn about AMD.

AMDs are of two types:

  1. Dry AMD (Atrophic AMD).

  2. Wet AMD (advanced neovascular AMD).

Dry AMD occurs when the macula gets thinner with increasing age. It has three stages: early, intermediate, and late. It takes several years to progress. There is no treatment for late dry AMD. Wet AMD is similar to late AMD in that it causes faster vision loss. Any stage of dry AMD may be converted into wet AMD. Wet AMD happens when blood vessel growth is abnormal in the back of the eye, affecting the macula. The blood vessels leak blood and fluid, and the buildup causes a bulge in the macula. Dark spots may be observed at the center of vision. Wet AMD can be treated, though it is similar to the late stage of dry AMD. It is estimated that wet AMD affects 10 % of people affected by macular degeneration.

What Leads to the Formation of Drusen Bodies?

Aging is considered to be the triggering factor for drusen formation. However, the precise mechanism that precipitates these forms of agglomerates in the retina is unclear and still under discussion. One extensively accepted hypothesis suggests that aging alters the retina's biochemical (enzyme activity) processes. As a result, the cells within the retina elicit alterations in the degenerative (destruction) process. These alterations induce the formation of cholesterol (fat) droplets, onto which specific minerals containing calcium salts (hydroxyapatite) get attached, forming a layer. The mineral layer enhances the binding of specific proteins like vitronectin, amyloid beta, and apolipoproteins into the fat aggregates, eventually giving rise to drusen bodies.

How Can You Tell if Someone Has Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

The symptoms of AMD are based on its stage. AMD is considered to be a progressive disease, so symptoms worsen as time passes. Dry AMD has three stages, as already explained.

Early Dry AMD: You will not experience any symptoms at this stage.

Intermediate Dry AMD: In this stage, some may not experience any symptoms, whereas a few may experience mild symptoms like blurriness in the eye's central vision or difficulty seeing things in low light.

Late Dry AMD or Wet AMD: In this stage, straight lines may appear wavy or crooked. They may experience a blurry area near the central vision. As time passes, their blurry area may become bigger or show blank spots, and colors may appear less bright to them. They may find it more difficult to see in low light.

Early detection of AMD can be done by regularly doing annual eye examinations.

What Are the Causes of AMD?

The cause of AMD relates to genetics. It can be inherited in the family or occur among those without a family history. AMD mainly occurs due to the wasting of the macula at the back of the eye. The reasons for its wasting may be various, including age.

Non-age-related AMD may occur due to the following reasons:

  1. Diabetes mellitus.

  2. Head injuries

  3. Various Infections.

  4. Diet deficit of nutrients.

What Are the Risk Factors for AMD?

Increasing age is considered to be a higher risk for the development of AMD. Individuals who are 55 years and older are at an increased risk of developing AMD.

The increased risk of AMD is observed among those with:

  1. Family history of AMD.

  2. Caucasians.

  3. Smoking habit.

Researchers have found that the risk of AMD can be decreased by doing the following things:

  1. Quitting smoking or not starting the smoking habit.

  2. Doing regular physical activities to keep yourself active.

  3. Maintain proper blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

  4. Eating a healthy diet, such as green leafy vegetables and fish.

How to Diagnose Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

AMD does not show any symptoms in the early stages. Hence, yearly examinations are to be done regularly. These will help the doctor give treatments. The doctor may ask you to do the following tests:

Amsler Grid Test: The Amsler grid contains a grid of straight lines with a large dot in the center. A healthcare provider may ask you to recognize the lines or sections on the grid. If the person experiences many distortions when identifying, it may indicate AMD.

Dilated Eye Exam: In this examination, a drop is used to dilate your eyes. After dilating, the eyes are examined with special lenses.

Fluorescein Angiography: In this test, a yellow dye (fluorescein) is injected through the vein in your arm. A special camera tracks the dye as it passes through the blood vessels in the eye. Photos taken help to know if any leakage is present in the macula.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): The machine used in this test takes a detailed image of the retina and macula of the eyes.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA): The device used in this test uses laser light reflection (instead of fluorescein dye) and an OCT scanning machine. This test helps to produce three-dimensional images of blood flow through your eyes.

What Is the Treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

  • Treatment for AMD depends on the stage and type of AMD.
  • Early-stage AMD does not have any treatment. It can be monitored by regularly performing eye examinations every year. Lifestyle changes such as eating healthy, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking can help with early AMD.
  • If an intermediate stage of AMD is present in one or both eyes, vitamins and minerals may be given to slow down the progression to the late stage.
  • Late AMD does not have any treatment. If one of your eyes has late AMD, these vitamins and minerals help the other eye slow its progression.

In the case of wet AMD, the treatment options are different.

These include:

  • Medications called anti-VEGF (Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) are injected into the eyes.

  • It is treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT), which includes laser treatment with injections.

How to Prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

The following steps can be adapted to prevent AMD.

These include:

  1. Quitting a habit like smoking.

  2. Maintaining an ideal weight.

  3. By keeping yourself physically active.

  4. Maintaining proper blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

  5. Eating a Mediterranean diet (plant-based foods and healthy fats).

When Should I Call My Healthcare Provider?

When an individual observes that a straight line starts looking wavy in AMD, it is the right time to see a healthcare provider. This symptom may be seen in late AMD (wet or dry).

Conclusion:

Eyes are a very important organ of the body. AMD affects the eyes and their function. AMD is an eye disease based on genetics. It may also be observed among those without a family history. Our eyes should be properly functioning to carry on day-to-day work without hassle. Hence, one should be aware of AMD in detail to protect our eyes and their functioning. Knowing about AMD, one can take care of the eyes and prevent this disease from occurring or help slow the progression of AMD.

Key Takeaways From Icliniq

Eyes are the sensory organ of the body that everyone needs to see the world. A person cannot imagine living happily without eyes. Eyes are affected by the condition called AMD. Hence, taking care of the eyes in the later stages of life is important, as AMD is observed in older individuals. To get help managing AMD, you can consult doctors online at iCliniq.com.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Vision loss can be frustrating and stressful as the condition progresses. The patient may be required to talk to a psychologist, counselor, or social worker to support them and develop coping skills to deal with the condition. Avoiding smoking, protecting the eyes from ultraviolet rays, and eating a balanced diet are some of the ways that may help one deal with the degenerative condition.
The researchers are exploring new treatments, such as injecting stem cells directly into the retina (the innermost light-sensitive layer of the eye). The injected cells can help to repair and promote new retinal tissue growth. However, these treatments are yet to be approved by federal regulators.
Macular degeneration is an irreversible damage condition that progresses significantly over the years, usually within ten years from its early diagnosis to total loss of vision. The progression of the condition can be slowed by early diagnosis and necessary care, such as eating healthy, taking vitamin supplements, and avoiding smoking.
Macular degeneration progresses slowly over the years in three stages, including early, intermediate, and late stages.
- Early - The initial stages of macular degeneration do not exhibit any symptoms and are difficult to detect. However, once developed the degeneration progresses.
- Intermediate - Mild symptoms may be visible in some patients, including blurry central vision or inability to see properly at night. 
- Late - It is the most severe stage when the person develops blurriness in the central vision that may enlarge into black spots, difficulty in seeing straight lines, and inability to recognize colors. It is also known as dry degeneration.
Taking a few steps can help people to slow vision loss, like
- Maintaining a healthy life by exercising regularly and keeping a healthy weight.
- Choosing a healthy diet that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, low in saturated fats and cholesterol, and vitamins (A, C, and E).
- Avoid smoking, as it can increase the risk.
- Getting regular eye check-ups.
Certain activities can worsen macular degeneration, such as smoking cigarettes regularly, eating processed foods, and exposure to blue rays in the spectrum, or bright sunlight. Failure to get regular eye exams and manage other medical conditions, like obesity, high blood sugar, and hypertension can make the degeneration progress faster.
Research supports that a healthy diet and nutrition promote good health. Taking vitamins A, C, and E can reduce the risk of macular degeneration. Vitamin A supplementation is vital for human retinal pigment, while vitamin C acts as an antioxidant.
No exact cause of macular degeneration is known. It is indicated that macular degeneration is in family genes and is aggravated by environmental factors, like smoking, unhealthy diet, and increased weight or obesity.
Macular degeneration can affect carrying out daily activities. People with age-related macular degeneration can lose their central vision and may require to make certain changes in their lifestyle. However, most people continue to live independently in their houses.
Macular degeneration rarely progresses to blindness. Initial diagnosis can significantly slow the progress of the degeneration. Change in diet and a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of complete loss of central vision, but can make it difficult for one to carry out daily activities, such as reading or driving.
Wet age-related macular usually causes fast vision loss. However, it is rare and happens when there is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye. During the end stage, the person loses complete vision loss of both eyes and is unable to do daily activities, as it progresses fast.
Untreated wet AMD progresses fast and accounts for 90 percent of vision loss from this condition. The degeneration can make it difficult for a person to read, write, drive, or perform daily tasks. It usually happens over several years, often within ten years.
Glasses and visual aids can help a person carry out daily tasks and may improve vision. Wearing yellow-tinted glasses helps to increase contrast and can protect one from harmful ultraviolet rays.
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Dr. Prashant Koranmath from iCliniq
Dr. Prashant Koranmath

Ophthalmology (Eye Care)

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