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Narrator: The most common form of age related macular degeneration is called the dry form. This form of the disease affects up to 90% of AMD patients in the early stages of dry the tiny deposits called Drusen start appearing within the retina. These drusen maybe so insignificant that the patient has few if any outward symptoms and no vision loss.
As dry AMD progresses more disruptive drusen begin to appear. As the size and number of drusen increase, patients may begin to notice a small dark spot in their central vision, causing the problems while reading or driving at night.
Drusen alone are not proof of macular degeneration, but they are an important warning sign. It is critical for patients to understand that as dry AMD progresses, it can turn into the more severe form called Wet AMD.
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This content was last updated on: January 21, 2016