Ask the experts

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects more than 600,000 people in the UK, but there’s a lot you can do to reduce your risk

“There are two types of AMD – wet and dry. Dry AMD can’t be treated, but wet AMD can, so catching it early is crucial”

While nothing can guarantee that you’ll avoid age-related macular degeneration (AMD), especially if you have a family history, you can reduce your risk,” says Dr Susan Blakeney. “Smokers are more than three times more likely to develop AMD than non-smokers because smoking damages the structure of your eye. If you smoke, try to quit.” “Always wear good-quality sunglasses to protect eyes from exposure to UV rays when you’re out in the sun. Invest in eyewear that complies with the safety standard BS EN ISO 12312-1:2013, or some made by a reputable manufacturer which have a CE mark. “A healthy, balanced diet helps keep eyes healthy, but be wary of dietary supplements that claim to be beneficial for eye health. There’s no good evidence that people with healthy vision should take them. “If you already have AMD there are some specific supplements that may help slow its progression. Your optometrist will be able to tell you which supplements might be beneficial. “Even if you protect yourself from the sun, eat healthily and don’t smoke, you may still develop AMD so it’s important that you have regular eye examinations to check for vision changes. “AMD causes distortion in straight lines or blank/missing patches in your central vision. Keep a check on this by covering each eye in turn (wearing glasses if you need them) and looking at a straight line (a door, window frame or Venetian blinds). You can also make sure you can still see detail by looking at something such as the words on the spine of a book across the room – again, with each eye separately. Any changes? See your optometrist.