Dry and wet
Dry AMD is the gradual thinning of the macula. It progresses slowly and there is currently no treatment that reverses it, but good monitoring, diet and stopping smoking all help.
Wet AMD happens when fragile new blood vessels grow under the macula and leak. It can change vision within days. Anti-VEGF injections stop the leak and protect what you have, which is why speed matters.
Symptoms to act on
Straight lines that look wavy or bent
A dark or blurred patch in the centre of your vision
Colours that look faded
Difficulty reading or recognising faces that came on quickly
Check yourself at home
Look at an Amsler grid with each eye separately once a week. If the lines look wavy or a patch is missing, call the same day. We keep urgent slots for exactly this.
Common questions
Will I go blind?
AMD affects central vision, not the whole visual field. With treatment most people with wet AMD keep useful reading vision.
How long do injections continue?
Answer to follow: awaiting Ms Gupta’s copy.
Can supplements help?
Answer to follow: awaiting Ms Gupta’s copy.
