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Do wet and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have early, intermediate and advanced stages?

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All wet AMD is considered advanced; however, the dry form of AMD has three stages:

  • Early AMD - patients have several small drusen or a few medium-sized drusen. There is no vision loss or symptoms at this stage.
  • Intermediate AMD - patients have many medium-sized drusen or one or more large drusen. Some people may need more light for tasks such as reading. A blurry spot may appear in the center of the visual field.
  • Advanced AMD - patients exhibit a large number of drusen deposits and a breakdown of RPE and photoreceptor (light sensitive) cells and supporting tissue in the retina. A large blurry spot occurs in the center of the visual field and can become larger and darker, eventually causing a complete loss of central vision.

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