Desktop disease specific banner PBC 2x
Eyes Wet AMD Wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD)
Wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD)
About wet age-related macular degeneration

Wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD)

Wet (neovascular) age-related macular degeneration is a condition that causes damage to the back of the eye, resulting in blurred and reduced central vision.1

Line diagram of the cross-section of an eye. The pupil is a gap in the front of the eye, the lens is an oval shaped section behind the pupil, the retina is the inner layer of the back of the eye, with a purple patch on it which is labelled the macula, and the optic nerve is a line leaving the back of the eye.

The macula is a part of the eye that is responsible for central vision (what you see directly in front of you). There are two types of age-related macular degeneration, wet and dry. 

Dry AMD is more common, accounting for 80% of cases.1 But about 10-15% of dry AMD patients will develop wet AMD,2 which is more severe and occurs when blood vessels grow in the back of the eye (under the retina and macula). These vessels leak blood and fluid (hence the name ‘wet’), which scars and damages the macula, resulting in central vision loss.3 This build-up of fluid in the macula is known as macular oedema.

Without treatment, 80% to 90% of individuals with wet AMD will experience vision loss significant enough to qualify as legally blind4

How many people have wet AMD?

A world map graphic shows an upward green arrow indicating the projected increase in global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Text on the left states, "In 2020 the global prevalence of AMD was 196 million (reference 3)”. The arrow points to text on the right that reads, "By 2040, this is predicted to rise to 288 million (reference 3)." A blue box below includes bullet points: "More common in those of European ancestry (reference 5)." and "Usually first affects people in their fifties (reference 5).

References

  1. Mayo Clinic. Wet macular degeneration. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wet-macular-degeneration/symptoms-causes/syc-20351107. Last accessed April 2025.
  2. Macular Society. Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Available at: https://www.macularsociety.org/macular-disease/macular-conditions/wet-age-related-macular-degeneration/. Last accessed April 2025.
  3. Hobbs SD, Tripathy K, Pierce K. Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; August 11, 2024.
  4. Cleveland Clinic. Wet macular Degeneration. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/wet-macular-degeneration. Last accessed April 2025.
  5. NHS. What is AMD? Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/age-related-macular-degeneration-amd/. Last accessed April 2025.