Age-related macular degeneration (also called AMD or AMRD) is a condition that affects the central vision of a person. It can cause significant loss of central vision and affect quality of life of the person.
Age, smoking, high blood pressure and a diet high in saturated fat are key risk factors for age related macular degeneration.
There is no well accepted therapy for dry form of Age related Macular Degeneration.
The wet form of AMD or ARMD was earlier treated commonly with lasers or photodynamic therapy but today intraocular injections are the most successfully employed therapy. Anti-VEGF (Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor) group of agents are typically utilised for this, and if injected timely, have gratifying response both in terms of vision and OCT (Optical coherence tomography) changes. The eye injection is an office procedure with rare side effects of infection seen in less than 1 in 1000 injections.
These injections have poor response in terms of vision if used late in disease course. They also need to be repeated first in a planned sequential manner as loading doses, and later in an OCT guided maintenance phase. Such patients are often guided to home-based self-care techniques (e.g. Amsler grid below) for earlier detection of vision threatening signs.
There are many other related drugs which are being investigated for utility in dry and wet forms of ARMD but have not gained enough practical evidence yet.
Amsler Grid
The Amsler grid is a simple tool that can be used to monitor and track visual distortions or blind spots associated with macular degeneration.
Sit in a well lit room. Look at at the grid. If the lines appear wavy, it indicates that your vision is distorted.
Contributed by
Dr Brijesh Takkar
CRTP Fellow, IHOPE
Consultant Ophthalmologist, Vitreo Retinal Diseases
L V Prasad Eye Institute
Changed
07/Apr/2025
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