They all spoke to me calmly and explained what would be happening. They were amazing.
Sarah’s story
What is age-related macular degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration (also known as AMD) is a common condition that affects the macula – a small, but important, area right in the middle of the light-sensitive layer at the back of your eye, called the retina. It is usually age-related and affects people over 65 the most. There are two types of AMD – dry AMD and wet AMD – which can affect your vision in different ways.
What are the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration?
The macula is responsible for the detailed, central vision that helps you to read, recognise faces and drive.
Symptoms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) include:
Blurred vision
Blind spots
Visual distortion
Loss of central vision
You won’t usually notice any changes to your side (peripheral) vision with this condition.
Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
The dry type of AMD is the more common of the two types of macular degeneration and affects how you can see fine detail. It happens quite slowly, so a lot of people don’t realise a change in vision, but you’ll tend to find it more difficult to read, watch the television, drive and use your computer.
Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
The wet type of age-related macular degeneration usually develops in people who’ve already had the dry type of AMD. People with wet AMD tend to experience a very sudden change in their central vision, typically only in one eye. If you ever have any strange symptoms, like straight lines looking wavy or blurry central vision (called visual distortion), it’s really important that you get in touch with an optometrist as soon as you can.
How Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) can affect your vision
What causes age-related macular degeneration?
Dry AMD happens when the pigment layer found under the retina (called the RPE) breaks down. Some cases are caused by a build-up of waste products (called drusen) underneath the macula.
Wet AMD happens when new blood vessels grow underneath the retina. Fluid can escape from these new blood vessels and builds up within the retina, causing damage and a change in vision. This is why you tend to notice a quicker change in vision in comparison to dry AMD.
How is AMD diagnosed?
Regular eye tests are usually the best way to spot signs of age-related macular degeneration. Your optometrist will carry out a range of tests to get a really good view of the structures in your eyes and look for any indications of AMD. If they notice any early warning signs of AMD, they’ll ask you to look out for any early symptoms, like blurring or distortion. They might even ask you to check your vision on an Amsler chart from time to time. This chart is a grid of straight lines, so if any of them appear wavy or distorted at any point, then this can indicate changes in your vision due to AMD.
If they think you have wet AMD, they’ll refer you to specialists like us to get started with some treatment as soon as possible.
How is age-related macular degeneration treated?
Currently, there is no known cure for dry macula degeneration. However, lifestyle changes can help manage the condition. These include quitting smoking and taking nutritional supplements, such as the AREDS2 formula, which may help to slow the progression of the disease. A new treatment called Valeda Light Therapy, which uses different wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular function at the macula has shown some promise in helping to reduce the progression of damage that is caused by dry macula degeneration. More research and study on this particular treatment is needed to validate it in the long term as well as helping to inform regulatory bodies such as National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Valeda Light Therapy is currently being trialled at our Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk clinics. Find out more.
Intravitreal Injections for wet AMD
Wet age-related macular degeneration can be treated with a type of injection called anti-VEGF (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor). VEGF is responsible for developing healthy blood vessels in the body – but with wet AMD, there is too much of this substance, which causes the extra unhealthy, leaky bloody vessels to grow. These injections essentially stop the substance from developing, helping to stabilise and even improve vision.
We usually carry out these injections as a quick day procedure in our clinics and you’ll often need a few rounds on a regular basis. The eye is often a little gritty and red for around 24-48 hours after, but you typically won’t need any drops or other treatment between injections.
We’ll give you some pupil dilating drops during this procedure, so it’s important that you arrange for someone to take you to and from your AMD appointments as you won’t be able to drive yourself.
What are the possible complications of AMD treatment?
Most people respond really well to treatment for age-related macular degeneration, the decline in vision can be stopped in 90% of cases, and about a third of people gain better vision because of anti-VEGF therapy.
Although the vast majority of patients experience no complications at all (less than 1:1000), some complications can occur. Our team will discuss these with you in detail at your appointment and will make sure you’re happy to go ahead with your AMD treatment.
How much does age-related macular degeneration treatment cost?
If you’re an NHS patient, all your AMD treatment costs with Newmedica are fully covered, with no additional cost to you.
Private eye treatment costs for age-related macular degeneration with us start from £800.
The sooner you start getting your AMD treated, the greater your chance of success. Your consultant will talk you through all the options available during your initial consultation and will plan your treatment around your specific needs. So, you’ll get a better idea of the AMD treatment costs once your consultant has put together your treatment plan.
If you have any questions about AMD treatments and other eye conditions or you’d like to book an appointment with a full assessment of your condition, get in touch with us.
FAQs
Find your nearest AMD clinic
Bury St Edmunds
Newmedica, Clarity House, Kempson Way, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 7AR
NHS (unavailable)
Private
Guernsey
Newmedica Guernsey, Specsavers Optical Group, La Villiaze Road, St Andrew, Guernsey, GY6 8YP
NHS (unavailable)
Private
Norwich
Lakeside 200, Old Chapel Way, Broadland Business Park, Norwich, NR7 0WG
NHS (unavailable)
Private
Nuneaton
GP Led Health Centre, Ramsden Avenue, Camp Hill, Nuneaton, CV10 9EB
NHS
Private (unavailable)
Welwyn Garden City
3 Falcon Gate, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 1TW
NHS
Private
Getting referred to Newmedica for AMD treatment
If you think you have an eye condition, you should see your optician or GP for a detailed assessment. They’ll go through all the options available and tell you where you can have your treatment.
The referral process will differ slightly depending on whether you want to be an NHS or private patient. You’ll find all the information you need on our NHS and private patient pages.
Are you a health care professional?
Find out how to refer a patient.
Private patients
Find details about our private
options and how to get started.
Read more
Self-referring? Call 0800 4096 792
Patient stories
I can’t fault the service at Newmedica. It was amazing. Everyone was so helpful, the surgery was so quick and efficient.
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I had a first-class experience and can’t praise the team enough. I have worn glasses for a long time but my sight is so clear and sharp.
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