Description of AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration)
The arrival of new effective treatments reinforces the importance of early detection and rapid management of AMD and other conditions affecting the macula.
As soon as the first symptoms appear, a specialist consultation is required, including additional examinations that will confirm this diagnosis and specify the exact form of AMD in order to implement the appropriate treatments.
Different forms of AMD
The atrophic form corresponds to 80% of patients with AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration). Commonly called the "dry" form, it is characterized by the disappearance of cells in the macula. It often affects both eyes, with a slow progression. Patients have a significant loss of central vision but retain the peripheral visual field useful for movement. The exudative form, or "wet" form, affects 20% of patients with AMD. New vessels are created in the retina but they are very fragile, which can cause hemorrhages. These new vessels are either "occult" (develop under the pigment epithelium) or "visible" (above the epithelium). They cause exudation and therefore an accumulation of fluid inside the macula. A certain number of atrophic forms can develop into exudative forms. In the early stage, common to both forms of AMD, small yellow dots called drusen appear at the back of the eye, which correspond to remnants of retinal cells.
