Age-Related Macular Degeneration

What is AMD?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe visual impairment and irreversible blindness in Americans over the age of 50. The prevalence of AMD is nothing short of astonishing, especially considering how little the average person knows about it. At least 10 million Americans today have AMD, with nearly 2 million of those having the late-stage, advanced form of the disease. These numbers are expected to increase some 50% by 2020. America’s rapidly aging population only heightens the urgency for disseminating information about AMD and working to create effective low vision rehabilitation programs to help millions of Americans achieve the highest quality of life possible.

So, what exactly is AMD? “Age-related macular degeneration is a late-onset, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration of photoreceptors/retinal pigment epithelial complex primarily in the macular region of the retina, resulting in irreversible central vision loss.” Did you get that? No?! Me either. Let’s try it a different way.

Simply put, macular degeneration impairs, and can even destroy, sharp central vision, while leaving peripheral (side) vision intact. Often slowly, and always painlessly, macular degeneration has the effect of clouding out crisp central images making it difficult – perhaps eventually impossible – to read, to drive, to recognize faces, and to otherwise safely and independently navigate the surrounding environment. However, apart from any other visual dysfunction, peripheral vision remains intact.

Here is a picture of my lovely wife Dixie and me. The image on the right is how your vision might appear if you have AMD. Again, the peripheral (outside) vision is intact, but the central vision is obstructed.