Wet Macular degeneration is far less common than Dry macular degeneration accounting for about 10% of all incidents. It often progresses quickly and the visual loss can be profound.
Wet macular degeneration involves the abnormal growth of blood vessels onto the macular. The macular is supposed to be avascular (free of blood vessels) and this is why problems arise. The new blood vessels that grow are faulty and often leak blood which causes the macular to be raised from its usual position thus dramatically affecting the central vision. This leaking blood can lead to scarring which profoundly reduces your central vision. This leaking of the blood vessels is the reason it is called ‘wet’ and it is in no way associated with any symptoms of wetness or watering eyes. Like dry macular there is NO PAIN involved in the condition. There have been recent improvements in the treatment of macular degeneration and progress in this area is being made all the time.
Symptoms of Wet Macular degeneration
The classic symptom of wet macular degeneration is sudden distortion in your central vision. This typically manifests as straight lines appearing to be bent or wavy. An example of when you may notice this might be looking at the frame of a door. The key characteristic of the symptoms are that they are generally quite quick and pronounced, although this is not always the case.
This information is provided purely as a guide and in no way constitutes medical advice. If you are in doubt about the health of your eyes you should consult your doctor or optometrist.
