eye disorders
Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD or ARMD)
Key Points
AMD is more common among White people and is the leading cause of permanent vision loss in older adults. AMD can be dry (nonexudative or atrophic) or wet (exudative or neovascular). Although 85% of AMD is dry, 80 to 90% of severe vision loss caused by AMD results from the wet type. Funduscopic changes in dry AMD include drusen, areas of chorioretinal atrophy, and changes to the retinal pigment epithelium. Funduscopic changes in wet AMD include retinal edema and localized elevation, detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium, a gray-green discoloration under the macula, and exudates in and around the macula. If patients have AMD on funduscopy, do color fundus photography,fluoresceinangiography, and optical coherence tomography. Prescribe dietary supplements for unilateral wet or high-risk dry AMD. Treat wet AMD with antivascular endothelial growth factor drugs as an intravitreal injection or through the port delivery system. or laser therapy. Treat wet AMD with photodynamic therapy or laser therapy in select cases. 