“Wet AMD” shorthand for a particular type of Age-related Macular Degeneration. Wet AMD is the less common type of AMD, but it’s also more serious. According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly 20 million people over 40 – 12.5% of the population – suffer from some form of AMD, and it’s a leading cause of vision loss in older adults.
So, if you are at least middle-aged, it’s a good idea to know what AMD is and its symptoms. Then you can contact Valley Eyecare Center for a checkup and testing.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
AMD is a disorder of the retina, the structure in the back of your eye which focuses incoming light. The macula is a part of this, focusing straight-ahead vision. So, simply put, AMD is a breakdown of the macula over time among older people, which leads to increasingly distorted vision as the condition progresses.
In many cases, the early symptoms are extremely subtle, and do not become obvious until many years have passed. Over time, a patient will have difficulty reading, recognizing faces, or doing detail work with their hands.
Wet vs Dry AMD
The primary difference between the two types of AMD is what, exactly, is affecting the macula.
In dry AMD, the macula thins over time. Because the macula functions something like a lens, this thinning harms its ability to properly focus incoming light. It’s much like if someone with thick high-powered glasses started wearing a much weaker pair.
With wet AMD, the macular damage is caused by mal-formed blood vessels in the back of the eye. These can either physically affect the macula, or else obstruct its vision by leaking blood – hence being called ‘wet.’
Wet AMD will always begin as dry AMD, but over time the damaged blood vessels make the problem worse. Wet AMD is considered far more dangerous than dry AMD. Any type of wet AMD will be treated as late-stage AMD and calls for immediate intervention.
Identifying AMD
The primary symptom of AMD, either type, is simply having difficulty focusing on objects directly in front of you. This is typically a blurry zone in the center of your vision. Colors may seem washed out as well, and vision will get even worse in low-lighting.
AMD has a strong genetic component, so if your family has a history of it, you are at risk. Smoking will also significantly increase your odds of developing AMD.
If these symptoms sound familiar, don’t wait. Please contact Valley Eyecare Center in Phoenix for a checkup!
