AMD Alliance International is a non-profit coalition of the world’s leading vision, seniors and research organizations working to raise awareness of age-related macular degeneration, understanding of available options for prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation and support services. It is the only international organization in the world that concentrates exclusively on age related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in the developed world.
AMD is an eye condition thatcauses loss of central vision,leaving only peripheral, or side,vision intact. AMD is the leadingcause of visual impairment for peopleover 50 in the Western world.
Macular degeneration is often related to aging, thus the name age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD).
The two most common forms of AMD are dry and wet.
This more common form, causes varying degrees of sight loss and is identified by the collection of yellow, fatty deposits called drusen in the macula the central part of the retina responsible for clear central vision.
Occurs less often (10-15 percent of cases), but the chance for severe sight loss is much greater. It is characterized by development of abnormal, leaky blood vessels in the macula. Scar tissue may form causing irreversible blind spots and in many cases leads to legal blindness.
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https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/maculardegeneration.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20070420173233/http://www.lighthouse.org/aboutus/press/press-releases/pr-smoking/
https://web.archive.org/web/20080606095302/http://www.cnib.ca/en/news/archive/amd-news-092006.aspx
https://web.archive.org/web/20080916102223/http://www.nei.nih.gov/strategicplanning/np_part.asp