Do wet and dry macular degeneration have early, intermediate, and advanced forms?
All wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is considered advanced; however, the dry form of AMD has three stages: Early Dry AMD – patients have several small drusen or a few medium-sized drusen. There is no vision loss or symptoms at this stage Intermediate Dry AMD – patients have many medium-sized drusen or one or more large drusen. Some people may need more light for tasks such as reading. A blurry spot may appear in the center of the visual field Advanced Dry AMD – patients exhibit a large number of drusen deposits and a breakdown of the light-sensitive cells (photoreceptors) and supporting tissue in the retina. A large blurry spot occurs in the center of the visual field and can become larger and darker, eventually causing a complete loss of central vision.
