About Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease affecting the retinal cells in the macula, the region of the eye responsible for central vision.
"Wet" AMD is an advanced form of AMD where blood vessels begin to invade the cellular space between layers of cells in the retina. These new blood vessels are often leaky, which results in fluid and blood in the retina and causes vision loss. While wet AMD represents only 10% of the number of cases of AMD overall, it is responsible for 90% of the AMD related severe vision loss. Of untreated patients who are not already partially sighted or blind, over half will become partially sighted or blind within three years. Each year, approximately 150,000 to 200,000 Americans develop wet AMD, with the number expected to grow due to the aging US population.
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Normal Vision vs. AMD Credit: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health |
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Normal Retina Credit: Stanford Byers Eye Institute |
Wet AMD Credit: UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute |
