Dry AMD and Wet AMD

Question 1

What is Dry AMD?

Answer 1

• Caused by fatty build up of drusen at back of eyes
• Causes blurred or reduced central vision due to breaking down of the inner layers of the macula
• The macula gets thinner with age
• Dry AMD happens in 3 stages: early, intermediate, late

Question 2

What is Wet AMD?

Answer 2

• A serious type of late AMD
• Happens when vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) makes abnormal blood vessels grow in the wrong place in the back of the eye
• Treatment can stop vision from deteriorating
• Can get worse quickly

Question 3

What is the difference between Dry AMD and Wet AMD?

Answer 3

• Dry AMD: fuzzy vision
• Wet AMD: blind spot in the centre of the vision

Question 4

What is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)?

Answer 4

• It is a signalling protein which promotes the growth of new blood vessels
• It can form abnormal blood vessels which originate in the choroid
• When the retina produces too much VEGF new blood vessels sprout from the choroid and grow into the retina
• These new blood vessels are leaky and allow fluid from the blood and red blood cells to enter the retina
• This fluid can distort the vision
• The fluid can damage the retina and kill the photoreceptors