age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative disease occurring in the macular area of the fundus in middle-aged and elderly individuals. It often affects one eye first and eventually involves both eyes; it is also known as age-related macular degeneration. AMD has become a very important cause of blindness in the elderly and is one of the main causes of severe vision loss in people aged 50 years and older in developed Western countries, and one of the leading causes of blindness in adults worldwide. AMD sometimes develops very slowly so that you may not notice changes in vision, but sometimes it progresses rapidly. It does not cause pain, but it can deprive you of the ability to recognize objects in front of you. Usually, one eye is affected first and is often initially overlooked. In patients with AMD in one eye, there is a 40% chance that the other eye will also develop the disease within 5 years. The occurrence of this disease is mainly related to long-term chronic light damage to the macular area, choroidal vascular sclerosis, and aging of retinal pigment epithelial cells. AMD mostly occurs in people over 45 years of age, and its prevalence increases with age. It is an important cause of blindness in middle-aged and elderly people. To date, traditional Chinese medicine treatment is the only definitely effective therapy that can halt the progression of this disease.