Retina Services

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Wet or Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative disease of the retina that damages the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for your sharpest vision. As the center of the retina deteriorates, central vision suffers, making it harder to read, see fine detail, and recognize faces. AMD affects only the center of your vision; your peripheral (side) vision is spared.

The disease often develops in both eyes, though one eye may be affected more than the other, and severity varies widely from person to person. Some people never notice a change, while severe cases can permanently damage central vision, causing objects to look distorted or partially missing. When reading, letters may appear crooked or bent, or a dark spot in the center of your vision may hide them entirely.

AMD is very common after age 60 and is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults, which is why the retina specialists at Florida Retina Institute place such emphasis on early detection and monitoring.

What is the Difference Between Dry and Wet Macular Degeneration?

AMD comes in two forms. Dry AMD is far more common and progresses slowly, while wet AMD is less common but far more aggressive.

Dry AMD. Making up roughly 9 out of 10 cases, dry AMD develops when age-related deposits called drusen accumulate beneath the retina.

The central retina may also gradually thin. Dry AMD can cause central vision loss, but the process is usually slow.

There are currently no proven treatments for dry AMD itself, though specially formulated eye vitamins can reduce the risk of progressing to the most advanced forms of the disease.

Retinal image showing evidence of dry AMD.

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Wet AMD. In wet AMD, new, abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the retina like weeds pushing through cracks in a sidewalk.

These vessels bleed, leak fluid, and form scar tissue that damages central vision.

Wet AMD progresses much faster than the dry form, but when it is caught early, treatments are available to stabilize vision and reduce the risk of further loss.

Retinal image showing evidence of wet AMD.

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Regular eye exams and home monitoring allow for early diagnosis and treatment. Many patients use an Amsler grid at home, a simple checkerboard pattern that reveals the distortion AMD causes: straight lines may appear wavy, broken, or missing.

The Amsler grid, and how it might appear to someone with age-related macular degeneration.
(Image credit National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health)

Watch how the Doctor explains new technology, a home vision monitoring app for patients with AMD and Diabetes, that alerts her Doctor of vision change.

Who is at Risk for Macular Degeneration?

The strongest risk factors for developing AMD are:

• Cigarette smoking.

• Increasing age, especially over 60.

• A family history of AMD.

• Caucasian (white) ethnicity.

Heart disease and high cholesterol levels also raise your risk of AMD.

How is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Diagnosed?

AMD is diagnosed through a dilated eye exam combined with specialized retinal imaging. Your ophthalmologist places drops in your eyes to widen your pupils, then examines the inside of your eye through a special lens to evaluate the retina.

Two imaging tests are commonly used:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) noninvasively scans the retina, producing highly detailed cross sections of the retina and macula, similar in concept to an ultrasound.

• Fluorescein angiography (FA) uses a yellow dye called fluorescein, injected into a vein in your arm, and a specialized camera that photographs the dye as it travels through the retina's blood vessels. The images identify any abnormal new vessels growing beneath the retina.

How is Dry Macular Degeneration Treated?

There are currently no proven treatments that reverse dry AMD, but the right nutritional supplements can lower the risk of progression to advanced disease. The AREDS2 study (Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2), a large research trial, found that a specific daily formulation of vitamins and minerals reduced the risk of developing advanced AMD. These supplements may also benefit people who have already lost vision in one eye from AMD.

The AREDS2 formulation includes:

• Vitamin C (500 mg)

• Vitamin E (400 IU)

• Lutein (10 mg)

• Zeaxanthin (2 mg)

• Zinc (80 mg)

• Copper (2 mg)

Supplements are not a cure, and they are not right for everyone, so ask your ophthalmologist whether the AREDS2 vitamins are recommended for your dry AMD. Alongside supplements, a well balanced diet rich in dark green leafy vegetables and colorful fruits and vegetables benefits people with AMD.

How is Wet Macular Degeneration Treated?

Wet AMD is treated with medications called anti-VEGF drugs. Anti-VEGF stands for anti vascular endothelial growth factor. These medications block a protein called VEGF that cells in the retina produce, and which drives the abnormal new blood vessel growth seen in wet AMD and several other eye conditions.

Anti-VEGF treatment helps shrink the abnormal vessels in your retina and reduces their bleeding and fluid leakage. At this time, the only way to deliver these medications is by injection into the white part of the eye.

Wet AMD is a chronic disease that requires ongoing treatment to limit further vision loss. Care is individualized, but most people need long term treatment to protect their sight.

How Can I Make the Most of My Vision With AMD?

If AMD has affected your central vision, you can learn to maximize the vision you still have. Low vision tools such as magnifiers, handheld computers, and other electronic devices can help you continue your usual daily tasks. And because AMD spares your peripheral vision, you can be trained to use your side vision more effectively.

Ask your ophthalmologist to help you find a vision rehabilitation (low vision) specialist in your area. Many tools and strategies exist to help you maintain as much independence as possible.

Does Macular Degeneration Cause Total Blindness?

No, AMD very rarely causes total blindness, because it damages central vision while leaving peripheral vision intact. Even in advanced disease, most people retain their side vision and can move about their environment. The real threat of AMD is to the tasks that depend on sharp central sight: reading, driving, and recognizing faces. That is why early detection, treatment when appropriate, and frequent monitoring with your eye care specialist and at home are so important.

Does Diabetes Cause Macular Degeneration?

No, diabetes does not cause macular degeneration. They are separate diseases that damage the retina in different ways. AMD is an age related breakdown of the macula, while diabetes causes diabetic retinopathy, in which high blood sugar damages the retina's blood vessels. A person can have both conditions at the same time, and both are monitored with many of the same tools, including dilated exams, OCT scans, and home vision monitoring. If you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar protects your retina from diabetic damage, and regular exams allow your retina specialist to watch for both diseases at once.

Does Sugar or Diet Affect Macular Degeneration?

Diet plays a meaningful role in AMD. Research suggests that diets high in refined carbohydrates and added sugars, which raise blood sugar quickly, may be associated with a higher risk of AMD progression, while diets built on whole, nutrient dense foods appear protective.

The foods most consistently linked to retinal health include:

• Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collard greens, which are naturally rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, the same protective nutrients included in the AREDS2 supplement formula.

• Colorful fruits and vegetables, whose varied pigments supply a broad mix of antioxidants.

• Fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which many retina specialists encourage as part of an eye healthy diet.

• Whole grains in place of refined carbohydrates and sugary foods and drinks.

No diet can cure AMD, but good nutrition, together with AREDS2 supplements when your doctor recommends them, is one of the few tools proven to influence the course of the disease.

Does Alcohol Affect Macular Degeneration?

Some research suggests that heavy alcohol consumption may increase the risk of developing AMD, while the evidence around light or moderate drinking is less clear. Heavy drinking can also deplete some of the very nutrients, such as zinc and antioxidants, that support retinal health. If you have AMD or are at risk for it, moderation is the sensible course, and it is worth discussing your alcohol use with your doctor as part of your overall eye health plan.

How is Heart Disease Connected to Macular Degeneration?

Heart disease and high cholesterol are established risk factors for AMD, and the connection runs through your blood vessels. The macula is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body and depends on healthy circulation to function. Cardiovascular disease and elevated cholesterol affect blood vessels throughout the body, including the delicate vessels that nourish the retina.

The practical takeaway is encouraging: the habits that protect your heart also protect your eyes. Not smoking, staying active, eating well, and managing cholesterol and blood pressure with your primary care doctor support both your cardiovascular health and your macula.

If you have been diagnosed with macular degeneration, have a family history of AMD, or have noticed changes in your central vision, please contact Florida Retina Institute or call our office to speak with a member of our team. With 21 locations throughout Florida and Georgia, expert macular degeneration care is always close to home.