On 22 March, the Egyptian Vitreoretinal Society (EGVRS) held its annual conference. More than 250 experts from all over the country gathered to discuss one of the most common and dangerous age-related eye problems for people over fifty – wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) – a problem that if neglected can cause blindness. Formerly shrouded in mystery, wet AMD sufferers now have a glimmer of hope, provided it is detected early.
Awareness is key
"Unfortunately people are still largely unaware of AMD although it is twice as prevalent as Alzheimer's, destroying in its advanced stages the vision needed to recognise faces, read, drive, perform various daily tasks, and affecting nearly 30 million people worldwide," says Dr Hany Hamza, Professor of Ophthalmology at Cairo University and EGVRS secretary general.
Dr Hamza says the disease affects one in ten people over the age of 55 in the 'dry' or 'wet' form. The latter is far more serious, accounting for 90 per cent of blindness resulting from AMD. The number of people who will lose their sight annually is estimated to be 500,000 worldwide, bringing the total to almost 6.3 million by 2030.
"Wet AMD can lead to blindness in less than three months, and without treatment those diagnosed will become functionally blind within two years," warns Hamza. "Early detection and proper treatment is the key."
"It is of utmost importance to highlight this issue to reduce preventable sight loss and minimise the emotional, physical, and financial burden paid by the individual and subsequently by society," says Dr Magdy Moussa, professor of Ophthalmology at Tanta University.
Symptoms and risk factors
Dr Moussa lists the symptoms as follows:
In the case of wet AMD, any defect or problem in the vision seems to worsen.
Straight lines look curved or wavy.
A dark circular patch might appear at the centre of vision and gets larger if not treated promptly.
As for those susceptible, Dr Moussa emphasises that the probability of occurrence increases generally with age, but other factors could include smoking, high blood pressure and obesity.
New hope
Finally, Dr Moussa notes a glimmer of hope in the form of a new FDA-approved drug that has shown remarkable progress in preventing the deterioration of vision in AMD suffers.
"The drug, Anti-VEGF, works by targeting the protein involved in causing new blood vessel formation. In the case of AMD these new blood vessels lack stability and tend to leak fluid and blood under the retina, which causes the loss of centre vision. The new drug inhibits the growth of new blood vessels," says Dr Moussa.
The panel of doctors also recommended access to wet AMD treatment through national health insurance and regarded it as crucial to saving thousands from blindness.
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