What is Wet Macular Degeneration?

Narrator: A less common but more serious form of age-related macular degeneration is called the wet form. This form of the disease affects about 10% of AMD. Patients. In the wet form of age-related macular degeneration, abnormal blood vessels begin to develop underneath the retina. These abnormal blood vessels are unusually delicate and may bleed or leak fluid. This fluid builds up beneath the retina causing it to bulge or lift up from the back of the eye. The eye is damaged as a result, causing central vision to appear blurred, wavy, or distorted.

Wet AMD can progress rapidly, leading to severe vision problems in the affected eye and causing permanent vision loss. Early diagnosis of wet AMD is critical if caught. Early treatment options exist which may delay or reduce damage to the eye and decrease the severity of vision loss.