AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 65 in developed countries. Learn more about the eye condition and how you can prevent it.
Every weekday, Mr Teo, 70, takes the bus to pick up his granddaughter from school. After picking up his granddaughter one day, they were about to take the bus when his granddaughter pulled him back as it was the wrong bus. Mr Teo realised that his eyesight of late was not so good so he decided to go for an eye screening.
He was diagnosed with the first stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which caused his central vision to be blurred.
A Degenerative Eye Condition
AMD is the leading cause of blindness in individuals over 65 in developed countries. It is a degenerative eye-condition that affects a tiny part of the retina at the back of your eye called the macula. People with AMD experience distorted or blurry central vision when looking directly at something. Over time, AMD may cause a blank patch in the centre of one’s vision.
“It was fortunate that Mr Teo realised that his vision had reduced. He was detected to have wet age-related macular degeneration and was treated with multiple injections into his eye. If he had not approached us early, the disease would have progressed to an advanced stage and he would not have benefitted from the eye treatment. He also made changes to his lifestyle which helped him reduce the progression of his eye condition,” said Dr Lekha Gopal, Consultant, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, KTPH.
Eye Screening For Better Eye Health
See an eye specialist as soon as possible if your vision becomes blurred or distorted. Eye treatments for early AMD can correct or prevent further loss of vision. It is recommended to have regular eye screenings every two years if you are above 55 years old. If detected early, eye treatments for AMD may be effective in correcting or preventing further loss of vision.
The AMD Week is organised annually by KTPH, together with private and public eye care partners, public and educational institutions, optical stores and various community centres. The aim is to educate the public on the importance of having regular eye examinations or eye screenings and to seek treatment early if they have symptoms such as blurring or distortion of vision.
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (OVS) Eye Treatment and Eye Care Services
The Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (OVS) department at KTPH provides a comprehensive range of services to manage various eye conditions. The department offers treatment and consultation for cataract, medical and surgical retina, oculoplastic and cosmetic eye conditions, paediatric ophthalmology, squint (misaligned eyes), glaucoma, cornea, uveitis (eye inflammation) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Seeing the challenges of an ageing population, we organise community outreach programmes to educate the public on the importance of proper eye care regularly.
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