Ophthalmology Search
Ophthalmology Ophthalmology
age-related%20macular%20degeneration
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
Age-related macular degeneration is a common, chronic, progressive, degenerative disease that causes central loss of vision due to abnormalities that occurs in the pigment, neural and vascular layers of the macula.
The macular disorder may have one or more of the following:
- Formation of drusen which are localized deposits of extracellular material usually concentrated in the macula
- Abnormalities in the retinal pigment epithelium (eg hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation)
- Retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris geographic atrophy
- Neovascular (exudative) maculopathy
Decreased central vision and distortion of seeing straight lines are the most common symptoms.

Follow Up

  • Monocular near vision (using Amsler grid) monitoring should be done in each follow-up exam

Schedule of Follow-up

  • Non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD)/Intermediate or Advanced AMD in antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements
    • At 6-24 months after treatment if asymptomatic
    • Advise immediate consultation if new symptoms suggestive of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) occurs
  • Subfoveal neovascular AMD in Ranibizumab therapy
    • Approximately 4 weeks after treatment
    • Subsequent return will be based on the clinical findings
  • Subfoveal neovascular AMD in Pegaptanib sodium therapy
    • Every 6 weeks with retreatments as indicated
  • Subfoveal neovascular AMD after photodynamic therapy (PDT) with Verteporfin
    • Every 3 months until stable, with retreatments as indicated
  • Extrafoveal neovascular AMD after laser photocoagulation therapy
    • At 2-4 weeks after treatment with fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and then 4-6 weeks thereafter
Editor's Recommendations
Most Read Articles
Oseltamivir cuts recovery time for flu in real world
Pearl Toh, 31 Dec 2019
Adding the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir to usual care speeds up recovery from influenza-like illness by a day compared with usual care alone, with even greater benefits seen in older, sicker patients with comorbidities, according to the ALIC4E study.
Smoking compromises functional outcomes after acute ischaemic stroke
09 Jan 2020
Acute ischaemic stroke patients who are current or recent smokers are at greater odds of having unfavourable functional outcomes 3 months after the index event, a study has found.
Brodalumab sustains long-term safety, efficacy in psoriatic patients
Stephen Padilla, 2 days ago
Brodalumab has exhibited long-term efficacy and consistent safety profile for more than 2 years in the treatment of patients with psoriasis, results of the phase III AMAGINE-2 trial show.
Anaemia risk factor for death in heart failure
2 days ago
Anaemia increases mortality risk in heart failure (HF) patients across the ejection fraction (EF) spectrum, a recent study has found. The effect appears to be stronger in preserved (HFpEF) and midrange (HFmrEF) than in reduced (HFrEF) EF disease.