Age-related Macular Degeneration: Wet

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) occurs when there is damage to the nerve cells in a small area at the back of your eye called the macula. AMD causes blurring of central vision. This makes it more difficult to accomplish tasks that require sharp vision like driving, reading or recognizing peoples’ faces.

There are two categories of macular degeneration - wet (exudative) and dry (atrophic). If there are no new blood vessels being created, it is "dry." When new blood vessels start to grow, it is called "wet" macular degeneration.
Wet macular degeneration occurs in about 10 percent of AMD patients – much less often than dry AMD but more suddenly. It happens when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye. These blood vessels break easily and leak blood and fluid under the macula. This can quickly damage the macula and distort your central vision.
Wet AMD typically causes significant vision problems in the affected eye and can progress very rapidly, causing permanent central vision loss. The wet form of AMD can cause serious vision loss within months or even weeks. People who contract the wet form have the dry form first.

What are the symptoms of wet AMD?

Often the first symptom of the wet form of AMD is that straight lines look wavy, curved or broken. Dark spots, lines or shadows begin to appear in the middle of the field of vision. Also, the ability to see fine details when looking at an object – no matter how close or far away – begins to decline.

If you think you might have wet macular degeneration, see your doctor immediately. In some cases, quick treatment may help you keep your central vision.

What causes macular degeneration?

The exact cause of AMD is not known. Smoking, exposure to direct sunlight over a period of years, a lack of vitamin A and some medical conditions increase the likelihood of developing the condition. AMD also seems to be inherited. None of these things can really be defined as the major cause of macular degeneration.

Does AMD always lead to blindness?

Even though vision might be blurry or lost in the middle of the field of view, macular degeneration does not affect vision off to the side. People with macular degeneration have a good chance of keeping useful vision for many years.

The best way to keep and use as much vision as possible is to have regular eye examinations and to take supplements with lutein, a nutrient that is deposited in the macula and the lens of the eyes. Researchers believe that supplementing with lutein reduces the risk of AMD.

VÄXA’s homeopathic medicinal Ocu-Care with lutein is an effective macular degeneration treatment (or can be used as a measure of prevention), designed to keep eyes healthy by decreasing inflammation, protecting against free radicals, and helping to repair and regenerate the sensitive tissues of our eyes.

Although lutein can also be found in egg yolks and dark green leafy vegetables, most of us could never eat enough of these to synthesize enough lutein. This is where the supplement Ocu-Care can take over.