What Is AMD?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive, disabling eye disease that primarily affects the macula, the central portion of the retina that is responsible for focusing on objects that are straight ahead.^1,2 While peripheral vision is retained, the sharp, central vision needed to see clearly is impacted and can be present in one or both eyes. As AMD gets worse, people can develop increasing difficulty with reading, recognizing faces, driving, and seeing in dim light, ending in permanent central vision loss.² Many people fear vision loss due to its impact on quality of life, daily activities, and independence.^3-8

AMD is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in developed countries for people aged 65 and older, with 18.34 million Americans over 40 living with early-stage AMD and 1.49 million with late-stage AMD.⁶ By 2050, the estimated number of people with AMD is expected to more than double from 2.07 million (in 2010) to 5.44 million.⁹

The exact cause of AMD is unknown but develops as the eye ages.⁷ For some, AMD progresses slowly and vision loss does not occur quickly; but for others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in one or both eyes.¹ In fact, many people do not realize they have AMD until they experience blurred vision.⁵ Blurriness or waviness in the center of vision are common symptoms of AMD, and over time the blurred area may grow larger, or blank spots may develop.^1,4,5 Objects also may not appear to be as bright as they used to be, and adapting to dark environments may be more difficult.^1,4,5