In the UK and Ireland, over 700,000 people over 50 are affected by age‑related macular degeneration (AMD). It is a condition that impairs central vision and can make everyday tasks like reading and recognising faces increasingly difficult.
AMD is also the most common reason for certification of visual impairment in the developed world. Understanding what macular degeneration is, what lifestyle factors influence its risk, and how eye tests and opticians can help you detect or manage it is essential for preserving central vision.
What Is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration – especially its age‑related form (AMD) – is a progressive deterioration of the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for your “straight‑ahead” vision.
There are two forms:
- Dry AMD, the most common (~90% of cases), where the macula thins over time and develops small yellow deposits called drusen.
- Wet AMD (~10% of cases) involves abnormal blood vessels growing under the retina, which leak fluid and can cause rapid central vision loss.
Early AMD often causes no noticeable symptoms, but as it progresses, central vision may blur, straight lines appear distorted, or a dark spot can develop in the centre of your field of view.
How common is AMD?
Globally, it’s estimated that nearly 200 million people live with AMD, rising to an expected 288 million by 2040. In Europe, 3.9 to 4.8 million are expected to have late AMD by that point. In the UK, around 2.4% of those aged 50+ have late AMD, increasing to 4.8% in those aged 65+ and 12 % in those over 80. Each year, over 40,000 people in the UK and Ireland develop neovascular (wet) AMD.
How opticians and eye tests prevent or detect AMD
What can opticians see behind the eye?
Opticians with a comprehensive eye exam can peer inside the eye using tools like fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus photography. These methods allow them to visualise the retina, macula, optic nerve and blood vessels. They can spot early signs of macular degeneration such as drusen, pigment changes, or fluid leakage, even before you notice vision loss.
What diseases can be detected in an eye exam?
A full eye exam goes well beyond checking vision prescription. In addition to accelerated detection of AMD, it can uncover:
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma (optic‑nerve damage even without symptoms)
- Diabetic retinopathy (changes in retinal blood vessels)
- Detached retina, high blood pressure changes, high cholesterol plaques
- Some neurological conditions, autoimmune disorders, and even certain cancers or strokes via eye‑visible signs.
Learn more: You Can Prevent Diseases With An Early Detection Eye Exam
What can opticians see behind the eye?
Using ophthalmoscopy and advanced imaging, opticians can view structures at the back of the eye, including the retina, the macula, and the optic nerve head, assessing for disease. Such imaging often catches early macular degeneration signs before symptoms emerge.
Lifestyle & dietary factors that help protect against AMD
1. Avoid smoking
Smoking is one of the most significant modifiable risk factors. Smokers are several times more likely to develop AMD than non‑smokers. Quitting smoking is vital for reducing risk and slowing progression.
2. Adopt a nutrient‑rich diet
Diet has a measurable impact. Studies and expert guidance recommend:
- Leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach)
- Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (carrots, sweet potato, citrus)
- Fish rich in omega‑3 fatty acids (salmon, sardines)
- Whole grains and legumes
- Adequate vitamins and minerals, particularly antioxidants and zinc: the AREDS and AREDS2 formulations have been shown to slow progression from intermediate to advanced dry AMD in those at risk.
3. Maintain healthy blood pressure and weight
Hypertension and high cholesterol may contribute to retinal microvascular damage and early AMD changes. Keeping blood pressure and lipids within healthy levels, and maintaining a healthy weight, reduces the risk of AMD progression.
4. Regular physical activity
Regular moderate exercise supports cardiovascular health, which in turn promotes healthy blood flow throughout the body, including to the eyes. This improved circulation is beneficial for retinal function and can help protect against conditions like macular degeneration and other vision-related issues.
5. Protect your eyes from UV radiation
When outdoors, wearing a wide‑brimmed hat and sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection helps shield the retina and reduces cumulative light-induced oxidative stress on the macula.
6. Regular eye exams
Even though symptoms usually appear later, a baseline comprehensive eye exam once a year is crucial, and more frequently after age 40 or with risk factors.
Learn more: The Importance of Regular Eye Tests for Maintaining Clear Vision
How early detection & monitoring help preserve vision
Detecting AMD early enables:
- Lifestyle intervention to slow progression.
- Supplement recommendations for those with intermediate disease.
- More frequent monitoring of drusen, pigment changes or fluid.
- Referral for treatments like anti‑VEGF injections in wet AMD.
Early detection of AMD allows for timely lifestyle changes, tailored supplements, and closer monitoring of retinal changes. It also enables prompt referral for treatments like anti-VEGF injections, helping preserve vision before significant loss occurs.
Learn more: How Your Eye Test Can Detect Other Health Issues
Summary: How opticians & eye tests help with AMD
| What Opticians/Test Detect | Diseases or Risk Found |
| Fundus photography, OCT, slit-lamp | Macular degeneration (drusen, fluid, pigment) |
| Tonometry, optic nerve exam | Glaucoma |
| Vascular changes in retina | Diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, high cholesterol |
| Retinal and ocular signs | Systemic disease, neurological, autoimmune, cancers |
Maintaining central vision
While AMD cannot be reversed, many lifestyle and dietary interventions can reduce risk or slow its progression. Stopping smoking, eating a balanced antioxidant-rich diet, managing blood pressure and cholesterol, exercising regularly, protecting your eyes from UV light, and seeing an optician regularly for comprehensive eye exams are all proven strategies that help you preserve your central vision for as long as possible.
Book a comprehensive eye exam in Ballybofey or Strabane.
Getting a comprehensive eye test is the first line of defence to assess your vision prescription and detect early signs of macular degeneration and other eye‑related or systemic diseases. Early detection lets us guide you on protective lifestyle strategies, nutritional supplementation where appropriate, and monitoring or referral if needed.
Don’t wait until you notice changes, book an eye test now to safeguard your sight for today and tomorrow.
