Medicines for Age-related macular degeneration

The medicines used depend on the type of AMD. For wet AMD — where abnormal, leaky blood vessels grow under the retina — the main treatment is a course of anti-VEGF injections given into the eye. These block the signal that drives those vessels, dry up the leakage, and can preserve or even improve central vision when started early; they are given as an ongoing course with regular monitoring at a hospital eye clinic. For dry AMD, there is currently no specific drug that reverses or cures it. Instead, care focuses on slowing progression and supporting vision: stopping smoking, eating well, and, for some people at certain stages, a particular combination of vitamin and mineral supplements (an AREDS-type formulation) advised by specialist eye services. Low-vision aids help people make the most of remaining sight.

Dry AMD is the more common form and develops slowly, over months and years, as the cells of the macula gradually thin and waste. It causes a gradual blurring or loss of central vision, and there is currently no specific drug that reverses it, though lifestyle measures and certain supplements may slow it in some people. Wet AMD is less common but more aggressive: abnormal, fragile blood vessels grow under the retina and leak fluid or blood, which can damage central vision quickly — sometimes over days or weeks — and often causes straight lines to look wavy or a dark patch to appear. The crucial difference is that wet AMD can be treated with anti-VEGF injections, and the sooner this starts the better the outcome, which is why sudden changes in central vision must be checked urgently.

AMD does not usually cause complete blindness. It damages the central vision used for reading, recognising faces and seeing fine detail, but the peripheral (side) vision is normally preserved, so most people keep enough vision to get around and remain independent. The impact varies: many people with early or dry AMD keep useful vision for a long time, while more advanced disease can make reading and detailed tasks difficult. For wet AMD, prompt treatment with anti-VEGF injections can preserve and sometimes improve central vision, which is why catching changes early matters so much. Low-vision aids such as magnifiers, good lighting and support services help people make the most of the vision they have, and registration as sight-impaired can open up extra help.

An Amsler grid is a simple chart of straight lines forming a square grid with a dot in the centre, used to monitor your central vision for changes that can signal AMD — particularly the wet type. To use it, wear your reading glasses if you normally would, hold the grid at comfortable reading distance, cover one eye and look steadily at the central dot, then do the same with the other eye. While focusing on the dot, notice whether any of the lines look wavy, bent, blurred or missing, or whether there is a dark or empty patch. Check each eye separately and regularly, as advised by your eye service. If you notice new distortion or a missing area — especially if it comes on suddenly — contact an eye service promptly, because early treatment of wet AMD gives the best results.