AMD is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the elderly in the Western World. It occurs in the dry and wet forms. For those who have dry AMD, about 10-15% will progress to wet AMD. Vision loss can occur in wet or dry AMD, but people lose varying degrees of vision. Also AMD affects the central vision only. Even in a worst-case-scenario your peripheral vision will remain intact. If you are diagnosed with Dry AMD, you should avoid smoking or being exposed to cigarette smoke. There are also many dietary modifications that you may consider to retard progression. If there is a sudden change in vision or new distortion it is important to be examined to confirm whether wet AMD is present. OCT and and angiography can quite easily confirm the diagnosis. Should there be wet AMD present we would discuss the options of intra-vitreal injections. These are performed in the rooms with mimimal discomfort. Whilst there are a number of different drugs available, we will discuss with you what the constraints of your medical aid are. Medical aids also cover most of the treatment costs.
