Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is AMD?Timeline of Vision LossEarly StageIntermediate StageLate Stage
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is AMD?
Timeline of Vision Loss
Early Stage
Intermediate Stage
Late Stage
Listen to this article(13 minutes)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)has three stages: early, intermediate, and late stage.
Vision loss usually happens in the last stage of AMD. However, not everyone with AMD progresses through all the stages. Many people with AMD do not lose their vision. Even people who do reach late-stage AMD are often able to keep their normal vision for most of their life.
This article will go over what research has shown about the progression ofvision lossin macular degeneration.
Nitat Termmee / Getty Images
Signs You May Have AMD
AMDis a group of long-term (chronic) degenerative eye diseases. It’s sometimes just called macular degeneration. AMD is the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States and in many countries around the world.
AMD affects a part of theretinacalled themacula. The macula is an oval yellowish area near the center of the retina in the eye. It is the part that is responsible for clear, straightforward vision. The retina is a layer of cells that are light-sensitive. These cells trigger nerve impulses that pass through the optic nerve to the brain, where visual images are formed.
When providers do an exam, they often see small yellow deposits calleddrusenwhich are a normal part of aging. However, if drusen grow larger and increase in number, they can contribute to the deterioration of the macula and increase your risk for macular degeneration.
Wet vs. Dry AMD
There are two forms of AMD: wet and dry.
Can Dry AMD Become Wet AMD?
AMD Vision Loss Timeline
You may find conflicting information about the average timeline from a diagnosis of AMD to vision loss. Understanding the stages of AMD will help you understand how the disease can progress.
Will I Lose My Sight From AMD?An ophthalmologist at the Bright Focus Foundation, Joshua Dunaief, MD, writes that “most patients with AMD can keep good vision for their entire lives, and even those who lose their central vision almost always maintain their side, or peripheral vision."
Will I Lose My Sight From AMD?
An ophthalmologist at the Bright Focus Foundation, Joshua Dunaief, MD, writes that “most patients with AMD can keep good vision for their entire lives, and even those who lose their central vision almost always maintain their side, or peripheral vision."
Early-Stage AMD
An ophthalmologist can often detect drusen long before symptoms start. Your provider may want you to have frequent eye exams to monitor for new signs or symptoms that could indicate AMD progression.
Even if you have no symptoms, it’s very important to follow your provider’s advice regarding the regularity of eye exams once the early stage of AMD has been spotted.
What You Can Do During Early-Stage AMD
There are several things you can do to try to slow the progression of AMD once you are diagnosed with stage-one macular degeneration:
Will Early-Stage AMD Progress?
AMD usually begins when someone is around age 55 or older. Data suggests that the progression from early and intermediate AMD to more advanced disease ranges from 0.4% to 53%. A lot of that variation depends on how severe the disease is at any given stage and a patient’s individual risk factors.For some people, the chances of early AMD progressing are very low.
More recent research has suggested that certain characteristics of the drusen might be also linked to more advanced AMD.
Can You Prevent Macular Degeneration?
Intermediate-Stage AMD
Intermediate-stage AMDinvolves large drusen or multiple medium-sized drusen and/or pigment changes are present in one or both eyes on an eye exam. Pigment changes—also calledretinal pigment epithelium(RPE) disturbances—can lead to vision loss.
The RPE is the pigmented layer of the cells which is located between the retina and the layer of blood vessels (choroid layer). Studies have shown that RPE is where AMD starts to occur. The function of the RPE is to absorb light and transport nutrients to the retinal cells.
Symptoms that commonly occur during the intermediate stage of AMD may include subtle changes in vision. However, many people at this stage do not have symptoms.
If people do have symptoms during the intermediate stage, they may see black or gray spots in the center of their visual field or have trouble adjusting from a location with bright light to a dim area.
Things You Can Do During Intermediate Stage AMD
Know that if you have intermediate AMD, you are at a much higher risk of developing late-stage AMD with vision loss.
There are a couple of things you can do at this stage to try toslow the progression of AMD:
AMD and Driving: When Is It Safe?
How Long Does It Take Intermediate AMD to Progress?
If a person in the intermediate stage of AMD has large drusen in one eye, there is a 6.3% chance that they will develop late-stage AMD with vision loss within five years of diagnosis. If large drusen are present in both eyes, the chances of developing late-stage AMD increase to 26%.
In a 2014 study, approximately 37% of people in the intermediate stage of AMD with medium drusen in one eye went on to develop large drusen and 71% of people who had medium drusen at baseline developed large drusen at the 10-year follow-up.
What Are the Risk Factors for AMD?
Late-Stage AMD
Late-stage AMD involves either the wet form of AMD or dry AMD. In the late stage, either form of AMD causes distortion of vision and/or vision loss. The wet form of AMD progresses much faster than the dry form, and wet AMD is much more likely to cause vision loss.
When central vision loss begins, objects may appear distorted or blurry at first. In the late stage of the disease, objects in the middle of your line of vision cannot be seen at all. In the peripheral field (side vision), objects are usually still visible but it might be difficult to figure out what they are.
In the late stage of the disease, you may no longer be able to recognize faces. Although you may still have your side vision, you might be consideredlegally blindat this point.
Can Macular Degeneration Cause Visual Hallucinations?
Things You Can Do During Late-Stage AMD
There are several treatment options for late-stage AMD, including treatment for wet or dry AMD.
Important steps to take after a diagnosis of late-stage AMD include:
How to Talk About Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
How Does Late-Stage AMD Progress?
There are several factors that influence how long it takes for AMD to reach the late stage when vision loss takes place.
In a small percentage of cases, dry AMD can progress to wet AMD. According to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, about 10% of all cases ofage-related macular degenerationbecome wet AMD. Typically, a person has dry AMD first which progresses to wet.
Wet AMD usually progresses quickly and vision loss can occur within days if it’s not untreated. That’s why it’s important to have your eyes checked frequently and to perform home screenings.
Is AMD Treatable?
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive condition that can eventually lead to vision loss. There are several stages of AMD. How fast you will move through the stages depends on many factors. Some people do not lose their vision from macular degeneration, while others experience vision loss soon after they are diagnosed.
If you have been diagnosed with macular degeneration, talk to your eye health provider about what you can do to try to slow the progression of the condition. There are steps you can take at each stage of AMD. Know that you may not lose your vision. If you do, there are treatments and therapies that can help you learn to cope with the vision changes from AMD.
Living With AMD
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20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The Macular Degeneration Foundation of Australia.About macular degeneration.Boyd, K. American Academy of Ophthalmology.Vitamins for AMD.Johns Hopkins Medicine. Wilmer Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.Velilla S, García-Medina JJ, García-Layana A, et al.Smoking and age-related macular degeneration: Review and update.J Ophthalmol. 2013;2013:895147. doi:10.1155/2013/895147Bright Focus Foundation.What to expect when you receive a diagnosis of AMD.National Center for Biotechnology Information.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Overview.García-Layana A, Cabrera-López F, García-Arumí J, Arias-Barquet L, Ruiz-Moreno JM.Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:1579-1587. Published 2017 Oct 3. doi:10.2147/CIA.S142685Bright Focus Foundation.How to use the Amsler grid.American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Risk factors for macular degeneration.Heesterbeek TJ, Lorés-Motta L, Hoyng CB, Lechanteur YTE, den Hollander AI.Risk factors for progression of age-related macular degeneration.Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2020;40(2):140-170. doi:10.1111/opo.12675Flores R, Carneiro Â, Tenreiro S, Seabra MC.Retinal progression biomarkers of early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration.Life (Basel). 2021;12(1):36. Published 2021 Dec 27. doi:10.3390/life12010036Mano F, Sprehe N, Olsen TW.Association of drusen phenotype in age-related macular degeneration from human eye-bank eyes to disease stage and cause of death.Ophthalmology Retina. 2021;5(8):743-749. doi:10.1016/j.oret.2020.11.011Bright Focus Foundation.Retinal pigment epithelium: The eye’s first line of defense against macular degeneration.García-Layana A, Cabrera-López F, García-Arumí J, Arias-Barquet L, Ruiz-Moreno JM.Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:1579-1587. doi:10.2147/CIA.S142685National Eye Institutes.AREDS 2 supplements for age-related macular degeneration.Chew EY, Clemons TE, Agrón E, et al.Ten-year follow-up of age-related macular degeneration in the age-related eye disease study: AREDS report no. 36.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2014;132(3):272-277. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2013.6636Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.Patient information anti-VEGF intravitreal injection treatment.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves first interchangeable biosimilars to Eylea to treat macular degeneration and other eye conditions.Cimarolli VR, Casten RJ, Rovner BW, Heyl V, Sörensen S, Horowitz A.Anxiety and depression in patients with advanced macular degeneration: current perspectives.Clin Ophthalmol. 2016;10:55-63. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S80489American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Dry vs wet age-related macular degeneration.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
The Macular Degeneration Foundation of Australia.About macular degeneration.Boyd, K. American Academy of Ophthalmology.Vitamins for AMD.Johns Hopkins Medicine. Wilmer Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.Velilla S, García-Medina JJ, García-Layana A, et al.Smoking and age-related macular degeneration: Review and update.J Ophthalmol. 2013;2013:895147. doi:10.1155/2013/895147Bright Focus Foundation.What to expect when you receive a diagnosis of AMD.National Center for Biotechnology Information.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Overview.García-Layana A, Cabrera-López F, García-Arumí J, Arias-Barquet L, Ruiz-Moreno JM.Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:1579-1587. Published 2017 Oct 3. doi:10.2147/CIA.S142685Bright Focus Foundation.How to use the Amsler grid.American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Risk factors for macular degeneration.Heesterbeek TJ, Lorés-Motta L, Hoyng CB, Lechanteur YTE, den Hollander AI.Risk factors for progression of age-related macular degeneration.Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2020;40(2):140-170. doi:10.1111/opo.12675Flores R, Carneiro Â, Tenreiro S, Seabra MC.Retinal progression biomarkers of early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration.Life (Basel). 2021;12(1):36. Published 2021 Dec 27. doi:10.3390/life12010036Mano F, Sprehe N, Olsen TW.Association of drusen phenotype in age-related macular degeneration from human eye-bank eyes to disease stage and cause of death.Ophthalmology Retina. 2021;5(8):743-749. doi:10.1016/j.oret.2020.11.011Bright Focus Foundation.Retinal pigment epithelium: The eye’s first line of defense against macular degeneration.García-Layana A, Cabrera-López F, García-Arumí J, Arias-Barquet L, Ruiz-Moreno JM.Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:1579-1587. doi:10.2147/CIA.S142685National Eye Institutes.AREDS 2 supplements for age-related macular degeneration.Chew EY, Clemons TE, Agrón E, et al.Ten-year follow-up of age-related macular degeneration in the age-related eye disease study: AREDS report no. 36.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2014;132(3):272-277. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2013.6636Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.Patient information anti-VEGF intravitreal injection treatment.Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves first interchangeable biosimilars to Eylea to treat macular degeneration and other eye conditions.Cimarolli VR, Casten RJ, Rovner BW, Heyl V, Sörensen S, Horowitz A.Anxiety and depression in patients with advanced macular degeneration: current perspectives.Clin Ophthalmol. 2016;10:55-63. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S80489American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Dry vs wet age-related macular degeneration.
The Macular Degeneration Foundation of Australia.About macular degeneration.
Boyd, K. American Academy of Ophthalmology.Vitamins for AMD.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. Wilmer Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration.
Velilla S, García-Medina JJ, García-Layana A, et al.Smoking and age-related macular degeneration: Review and update.J Ophthalmol. 2013;2013:895147. doi:10.1155/2013/895147
Bright Focus Foundation.What to expect when you receive a diagnosis of AMD.
National Center for Biotechnology Information.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Overview.
García-Layana A, Cabrera-López F, García-Arumí J, Arias-Barquet L, Ruiz-Moreno JM.Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:1579-1587. Published 2017 Oct 3. doi:10.2147/CIA.S142685
Bright Focus Foundation.How to use the Amsler grid.
American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Risk factors for macular degeneration.
Heesterbeek TJ, Lorés-Motta L, Hoyng CB, Lechanteur YTE, den Hollander AI.Risk factors for progression of age-related macular degeneration.Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2020;40(2):140-170. doi:10.1111/opo.12675
Flores R, Carneiro Â, Tenreiro S, Seabra MC.Retinal progression biomarkers of early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration.Life (Basel). 2021;12(1):36. Published 2021 Dec 27. doi:10.3390/life12010036
Mano F, Sprehe N, Olsen TW.Association of drusen phenotype in age-related macular degeneration from human eye-bank eyes to disease stage and cause of death.Ophthalmology Retina. 2021;5(8):743-749. doi:10.1016/j.oret.2020.11.011
Bright Focus Foundation.Retinal pigment epithelium: The eye’s first line of defense against macular degeneration.
García-Layana A, Cabrera-López F, García-Arumí J, Arias-Barquet L, Ruiz-Moreno JM.Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:1579-1587. doi:10.2147/CIA.S142685
National Eye Institutes.AREDS 2 supplements for age-related macular degeneration.
Chew EY, Clemons TE, Agrón E, et al.Ten-year follow-up of age-related macular degeneration in the age-related eye disease study: AREDS report no. 36.JAMA Ophthalmol. 2014;132(3):272-277. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2013.6636
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.Patient information anti-VEGF intravitreal injection treatment.
Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves first interchangeable biosimilars to Eylea to treat macular degeneration and other eye conditions.
Cimarolli VR, Casten RJ, Rovner BW, Heyl V, Sörensen S, Horowitz A.Anxiety and depression in patients with advanced macular degeneration: current perspectives.Clin Ophthalmol. 2016;10:55-63. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S80489
American Macular Degeneration Foundation.Dry vs wet age-related macular degeneration.
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