Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of legal blindness among people over the age of 50 in the Western world. It affects the macula, the central part of the retina.
Types of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
The two distinct types of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are known as the dry and wet forms. Most cases of the disease start with the dry form, which may or may not develop into the wet form.
Dry age-related macular degeneration, which is also known as atrophic or non-neovascular macular degeneration, is the milder form of the disease, accounting for up to 90% of all cases
Wet age-related macular degeneration accounts for only 10% of cases, but it is responsible for 90% of the severe vision loss associated with AMD. The term wet refers to choroidal neovascularization (CNV) across the macula.
CNV is a degenerative condition that, unidentified and untreated, can cause severe, irreversible central vision loss. It develops secondary to several disorders of the eye including AMD, pathologic myopia, and ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS).
Chronic eye discomfort, or dry-eye, can be treated to ensure long lasting relief and ease discomfort.
Ocular allergy is an exaggerated response of ocular tissues to a relatively harmless allergen. The vast majority of ocular allergies affect the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane of the eye; however, use of the term allergic conjunctivitis as a synonym for all ocular allergic diseases is discouraged. There are treatments available to relieve symtoms of a number of ocular allergies.
Source: EPG guide- www.epgonline.org/ophthalmics.cfmLast Updated 25-05-2010