What are wet and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?
There are two forms of AMD: dry and wet. It is possible for a person to suffer from both forms, for AMD to affect one or both eyes, and for the disease to progress slowly or rapidly. Dry AMD may advance and cause loss of vision without turning into the wet form of the disease. However, it is also possible for early-stage dry AMD to change into the wet form of the disease. Dry macular degeneration is the most common type of AMD. This form, in which the photosensitive cells of the macula slowly break down, is diagnosed in 85-90 percent of cases. Yellow deposits called drusen (extracellular waste products from metabolism) form and accumulate under the retina between the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) layer and the Bruch’s membrane, which supports the retina. Drusen are often found in the eyes of older people, but an increase in the size and number of these deposits is frequently the first sign of macular degeneration. Over time, drusen are associated with deterioration of the macula a
