Age-related macular degeneration is a pathological condition of the central area of the retina (the macula).
The increase in the average life expectancy of the population has meant that this pathological condition has become the main cause of loss of vision in the over 60s. There are two main forms: dystrophic (“dry”) and exudative (“wet”).
The former is characterized by a slow progression and a modest loss of vision while the latter develops more rapidly and has a more aggressive evolution that requires prompt pharmacological treatment with anti-VEGF therapy (intravitreal injections).
Patients often complain of image distortion (dysmorphopsia) and of changes to their central vision (scotoma).
This is a wide-spread disease, particularly among the elderly population, and a correct diagnosis can be obtained through various diagnostic tests, such as Digital Retinopathy (RTN), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).