Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a prevalent eye condition that affects a significant number of elderly individuals worldwide. Among its various forms, wet (exudative or neovascular) age-related macular degeneration stands out as the leading cause of visual impairment.
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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects the macula of the retina, leading to blurred vision or even blindness. There are two types of AMD: wet and dry. In wet AMD, irregular blood vessels develop beneath the macula and the retina. These abnormal blood vessels have the potential to bleed or leak fluid, causing the macula to become swollen or displaced, resulting in significant vision impairment.
Detecting and treating wet macular degeneration in its early stages can help minimize vision loss. In certain cases, early intervention may even restore some of the lost vision.
What Causes Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
Wet macular degeneration can manifest in various ways, such as:
Abnormal Growth of Blood Vessels
In some cases, new blood vessels may develop from the choroid layer beneath the macula, a condition known as choroidal neovascularization. The choroid, located between the retina and the outer sclera of the eye, consists of a network of blood vessels. The presence of these new blood vessels can lead to fluid or blood leakage, ultimately impacting the function of the retina.
Accumulation of Fluid at The Back of The Eye
When fluid leaks from the choroid, it can gather between the retinal pigment epithelium (a thin cell layer) and the retina, or within the layers of the retina itself. This accumulation of fluid can lead to irregularities in the macula layers, causing distortion or vision loss.
Symptoms
Symptoms of wet macular degeneration typically manifest suddenly and worsen rapidly, it includes:
• Challenges in adjusting to low-light environments, such as dimly lit restaurants or theaters.
• Decreased central vision in one or both eyes.
• Increased reliance on brighter lighting for reading or close-up tasks.
• Difficulties in recognizing faces.
• The presence of a well-defined blind spot or blurry spot within the field of vision.
• Distorted vision, where straight lines may appear bent or wavy.
• Heightened blurriness of printed words.
Prevention of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Quit Smoking
Individuals who smoke have a higher likelihood of developing macular degeneration compared to those who do not smoke. It is advisable to seek assistance from a healthcare provider to quit smoking.
Managing Other Medical Conditions
It is important for individuals dealing with hypertension, or cardiovascular disease to adhere to their prescribed medication and diligently follow the instructions provided by their healthcare provider to effectively manage these conditions.
Adding Fish to Diet
The presence of omega-3 fatty acids in fish can decrease the risk of macular degeneration. Additionally, nuts such as walnuts are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Healthy Lifestyle
It is recommended to reduce unhealthy calorie intake, choose foods that are rich in antioxidant vitamins, and incorporate more physical activity daily.
To treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD) medicines such as Eylea, Lucentis, and Avastin are used, among these, Eylea is the most used medicine, due to its low cost and high effectiveness in the treatment of this disease.
The Asian region has a high occurrence of age-related macular degeneration. Moreover, the region held over one-third of the macular generation cases reported all over the world, therefore this will increase the requirement for wet age-related macular degeneration drugs in the years to come.
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