Macular Degeneration

There are two main types:

• Dry (atrophic) ARMD

This is the more common form and involves the gradual thinning of the macula and the accumulation of deposits called drusen. The vision loss is usually slow and progressive over a number of years.

• Wet (neovascular) ARMD

This is less common but causes rapid vision loss. It involves the growth of abnormal blood vessels under the macula which leak fluid or blood.

  Check your macular health

As you age, it is increasingly important to check your vision regularly and to contact your optometrist or ophthalmologist should you notice any changes. The grid below is an Amsler chart for monitoring of ARMD. Wearing your usual reading glasses, the grid is held at a distance where you normally hold a book. Close one eye and focus on the black dot in the centre of the grid and look for:

• Wavy or bent lines
• Dark or blurred patches
• Empty spaces

Then repeat this with your other eye.