Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Glossary
Here are definitions of medical terms related to macular degeneration.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
A disease of the eye affecting the retina (see below). People with AMD lose their ability to see fine detail. There are two types of AMD, called 'wet' and 'dry' AMD. Photodynamic therapy (see below) is a treatment for wet AMD.
Clinical trial
A medical experiment used to decide if a potential new treatment for disease is safe and effective.
Dilate
Temporarily enlarge the pupil with special eye drops to allow an eye care specialist to better view the inside of the eye.
Drusen
Small yellow or white deposits in the macula that occur in macular degeneration.
Fluorescein angiography
A medical test that makes blood vessels in the retina visible by injecting a special dye-like material into the bloodstream.
Laser treatment
A method for treating diseased tissue that uses a special beam of light produced by a laser. Photodynamic therapy uses both laser treatment and an injected dye (see below).
Macula
A small central area of the retina responsible for the sharp, clear vision needed to look directly at an object.
Myopia
The ability to see close objects more clearly than distant objects (sometimes called 'nearsightedness').
Neovascularization
The growth of new blood vessels in the central area of the retina.
Peripheral vision
The ability to see objects and movements with side vision, outside the direct line of sight.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
A treatment of wet AMD that involves injections of a special drug that becomes active and destroys abnormal eye blood vessels when exposed to special laser light.
Pupil
The adjustable opening at the front of the eye (the black 'hole' in the iris) that expands and contracts to regulate the amount of light entering the eye.
Retina
The light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye that converts light rays into electrical signals relayed to the brain.
Retinal detachment
A serious disorder that occurs when part of the retina becomes separated from the back of the eyeball.
Visual field
The entire area that can be seen by the eye, including front and side, or peripheral, vision.
