- Chronic degenerative disease that primarily affects choriocapillaris,
Bruch's membrane, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor
cells.
- Most common cause of irreversible visual loss over age of 65 year
in Western world.
- 20-30% of patients affected over the age of 75.
- AMD is classified into two categories:
- Non-exudative (dry or atrophic )
- Exudative (wet or neovascular)
- Exudative AMD has a prevalence rate of 1.2% and dry AMD has a prevalence
of 15.6% among adults aged 43 and older.
- Nonexudative AMD is characterized by macular drusen, clumps of pigments
in the outer retina and eventually progress to geographic atrophy
of RPE and choriocapillaris which is the main cause of severe loss
of central vision.
- Critical signs of exudative or neovascular AMD include subretinal
choroidal neovascular membrane and other associated manifestations
such as RPE detachment or tear, subretinal hemorrhages, subretinal
disciform scarring and vitreous hemorrhage.
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