(HealthDayNews) -- Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that blurs the sharp, central vision you need to read, sew and drive, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI).
The condition, which is not painful, affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. AMD occurs in wet and dry forms.
Wet AMD occurs when fragile, abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula. These new blood vessels often leak blood and fluid, raising the macula from its normal place at the back of the eye.
Dry AMD occurs when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down, gradually blurring central vision in the affected eye.
There are two treatments for wet AMD: laser surgery and photodynamic therapy. Once dry AMD reaches the advanced stage, vision loss is inevitable, the Institute says.
The NEI's Age-Related Eye Disease study found that taking a specific high-dose formulation of antioxidants and zinc significantly reduced the risk of advanced AMD.
