News and notices. January 26, 2015

AMD is increasing in low- and middle-income countries: What can we do?

Early AMD. Image credit: David Yorston
Early AMD. There are irregular pale dots at the macula, which are called drusen. They are caused by a build-up of waste products from photoreceptor metabolism. Although drusen are associated with AMD, most patients with drusen will not develop severe AMD. Image credit: David Yorston

Recent studies show that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is increasing in low- & middle-income countries.

In an article from our recent issue on non-communicable eye diseases, Wanjiku Mathenge, Africa Regional Medical Advisor for the Fred Hollows Foundation, gives an overview of the features of AMD, how it is classified, how it presents and how we can manage it in the district.

Read the full article: “Age-related macular degeneration”