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• The "dry" form of macular degeneration has no treatment and is due loss of the photoreceptor cells of the retina.
• In the "wet" form of AMD abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the macula. These abnormal blood vessels can lead to the formation of a blister or retinal pigment epithelium detachment (PED), leakage of serum or fluid or bleeding under and/or inside the macula. These changes usually lead to the development of a scar in the macula and the consequent reduction of vision
  

Symptoms often associated with macular degeneration include:
* A gradual loss of ability to see objects clearly
* A gradual loss of colour vision
* Distorted vision (see picture below)
* A dark or empty area appearing in the centre of vision

It is important to remember that AMD does not cause complete blindness equivalent to being in total darkness; affected patients usually maintain their peripheral or roundabout vision as the retina surrounding the macula continues to function normally. We must note that the peripheral retina is normally used only for navigation purposes as it is not capable of picking up small details or objects as the macula is.

Without treatment, vision loss may be quick, severe and irreversible.

It is sometimes necessary to carry out investigations both initially and at regular intervals to determine whether you present the dry or the wet form of AMD, whether the lesions are active or not and treatable or not. The most commonly requested tests are fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).

During FFA, a dye injected into a vein in the patient's arm and flash photographs are obtained through dilated pupils of the back of the eye. FFA provides a detailed view of the macular blood vessels.

OCT is a non-contact test that is analogous to ultrasound but uses light instead of sound to 'scan' the macula. OCT can be very useful to determine the presence or absence of fluid, objectively determine the retinal thickness and response to treatment.

Treatments for wet AMD most commonly include Photodynamic Therapy (Visudyne) and/or the intraocular injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGF) such as Lucentis, Avastin, Macugen. The two treatment modalities can be carried out independently or in combination. The MREH / MCV's retinal specialists will advise you whether you are a suitable candidate for the variety of treatments.

Royal College of Ophthalmologists Information for Patients