ALL OUR HOSPITALS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN AND ACCEPTING NEW REFERRALS TO TREAT NHS PATIENTS HOME TREATMENTS AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION Age-related Macular Degeneration Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of sight loss in the developed world. In the UK more than 600,000 people are affected by AMD. There are two types of AMD – wet and dry. Wet AMD develops when abnormal blood vessels leak into the macular (this is the small central point of the retina, which is responsible for our central vision) and cause scarring and loss of central vision. It can develop rapidly. It can be treated if caught quickly. Dry AMD is a slow deterioration of the cells of the macular. The ‘dry’ doesn’t mean you have dry eyes, it is just used as a term to differentiate it from wet AMD. AMD is associated with age, usually over 60+, and there is a link to sunlight and smoking as causes. A healthy diet has shown to be effective in slowing down the progression of AMD. Symptoms Gaps or dark spots across your vision Words may become distorted or jumbled on a page Words may disappear when reading Straight lines, such as door frames, may appear distorted or bent Reduction in vision may be quick or happen over a number of years Treatment There is currently no treatment for dry AMD. If your condition is diagnosed early enough, you can take steps to help slow its progression, such as taking vitamin supplements, having a healthy diet and not smoking. Wet AMD can be treated if caught early – so it is important to see your optician as soon as possible if you are experiencing any problems with your vision. Most people will receive a course of treatment – this is a special drug injected into the eye. You will not feel any pain, as you are given anaesthetic eye drops to numb the eye and the needle used for the injection is tiny – just 12mm (½ inch) long. We’ve put together a journey map for our patients to show the different stages from your initial eye check through to treatment and what you can expect at each stage. You may be right at the beginning of your journey and not been diagnosed yet or somewhere in the middle and wondering what comes next. We hope you find this useful and that it answers some of your questions – please call us if you would like any more information about any of the stages or what to expect on your patient journey. 1. Getting a diagnosis If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms above then you need to get your eyes checked as soon as possible by your local optician, who will examine your eyes and conduct a sight test to check the quality of your vision. The optician will be able to refer you to SpaMedica or another specialist, depending on what treatment you require. FIND AN OPTICIAN 2. Your referral 3. AMD Assessment 4. Your diagnosis 5. Your AMD Clinic 6. Your personalised schedule Please download our Journey Map as a PDF. DOWNLOAD JOURNEY MAP If you would like this information sending to you in the post please send us your email and we will contact you within 2 days. Getting a diagnosis Find out more information about visiting your local optician and getting a diagnosis FIND OUT MORE Our Patient Stories See and hear some of our SpaMedica patient stories and how cataract surgery has improved their quality of life FIND OUT MORE 0330 058 4280 - General 01204 441340 - Secure Fax / Safe Haven clinic@spamedica.co.uk - Appointments & Information For General Enquiries use our secure Contact Form Read reviews and ratings for SpaMedica and other health services. FIND OUT MORE © 2021. Site by EQ T&Cs Privacy Modern Slavery Gender Pay Sitemap