Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month

📢 February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month 👁️

Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD, is a condition that affects the central part of our vision, making everyday tasks such as reading, driving, or recognising faces challenging. This condition comes in two primary forms: Dry AMD, the more prevalent type, and Wet AMD.

In Dry AMD, the macula, a small but critical part of the retina responsible for central vision, gradually thins and breaks down over time leading to Geographic Atrophy (GA) which is the progressive, irreversible, advanced form of dry AMD. On the other hand, Wet AMD involves abnormal blood vessel growth beneath the macula, leading to rapid and severe vision loss if left untreated.

👀 Symptoms:
Blurred or distorted vision - including seeing wavy lines, objects appearing smaller than usual, faded colours, discomfort with bright lights, and in some cases, even hallucinations.

❗If you notice any of these signs, especially if you are over 60, it is extremely important to schedule regular eye tests with your #eyedoctor

🚭 Risk Factors:
While AMD typically affects individuals in their 50s and 60s, certain lifestyle factors and genetic predisposition can increase your risk. Smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and a family history of AMD are all associated risk factors. However, positive lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise and a balanced diet rich in antioxidants can help mitigate these risks.

🏥 Treatment Options:
For Wet AMD, treatment options include Lucentis ranibizumab injection by Novartis and Genentech (USA), Eylea afibercept drug by Bayer and Regeneron (USA), other options include Avastin, Beovu and Vabysmo by Roche. There are also therapeutic treatments applied with focused light and laser beams. Samsara Vision also have an 'implantable miniature telescope' which can help to retore patients vision.

Currently there aren't any commercially available treatment options for Dry AMD but research is ongoing. In 2023 however the FDA approved drugs to treat GA (advanced form of the disease) from Apellis Pharmaceuticals and Astellas Pharma. Therapeutic options include LumiThera, Inc. Valeda Light Delivery System (LDS) which can slow down the progression of the disease and improve visual acuity.

👨‍⚕️ If you’re concerned about your vision or suspect you may be experiencing symptoms of AMD, don’t hesitate to seek support from a qualified #eyecare professional.