| For the majority of people age related macular | | | | central vision quicker than the other eye. Why |
| degeneration (AMD) progresses slowly and | | | | does the wet form cause more severe vision |
| affects only the central vision. It is not blindness. | | | | loss? |
| You still have peripheral or side vision. The most | | | | In wet AMD, blood vessels that are weak and |
| important factor for your macular degeneration | | | | fragile grow from the choroid layer (a layer of |
| prognosis will be if you have dry macular | | | | tissue under the macula) and they leak blood and |
| degeneration or if you have the wet form, also | | | | fluid. This damages the cone cells in the macula. |
| known as choroidal neovascularization. | | | | The macula is a very small little spot in the retina |
| Dry Macular Degeneration Prognosis | | | | which is responsible for your straight ahead vision. |
| Almost 85-90% of those with macular | | | | This little spot is only about 5% of your retina - |
| degeneration have the dry or atrophic form. The | | | | however it is responsible for 35% of your visual |
| progression of dry macular degeneration is slow | | | | field. |
| and and may take years for it to worsen. | | | | As AMD progresses it is the visual field right in |
| However, the dry form can turn into the wet | | | | front of you - like someone's face that you are |
| form... and it can turn into the wet form very | | | | talking to or a book in front of you - that |
| suddenly, even if you have early stage AMD. All | | | | becomes distorted or blurry. This means that the |
| those with wet AMD had the dry form first. | | | | rest of the retina is still functioning and thus you |
| There is no way to tell if or when the dry form | | | | still have side or peripheral vision - which is very |
| will turn into the wet form. | | | | different than total blindness. |
| Wet Macular Degeneration Prognosis | | | | Slow the Progression of Macular Degeneration |
| Fortunately, only 10%-15% of AMD cases are the | | | | The factors that play into the progression of this |
| wet or exudative form. Wet AMD causes loss of | | | | disease are environmental toxins, diets high in |
| central vision much quicker than the dry form | | | | carbohydrates and unhealthy fats and low in |
| ...and each eye can have a different form of | | | | antioxidants, smoking, lack of exercise, and family |
| macular degeneration. So one eye may lose | | | | history. |