Dry and Wet AMD: What You Need to Know

Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow from beneath the retina into the macula. This process is called choroidal neovascularization. These fragile, irregular vessels leak blood and fluid into the macula, causing rapid structural damage. Wet AMD represents a smaller percentage of AMD cases overall but is responsible for the majority of severe vision loss caused by the disease.

Unlike dry AMD, wet AMD can cause noticeable vision changes within days to weeks. Straight lines may appear wavy or distorted, a symptom called metamorphopsia. A dark or blank area may appear in the center of your vision. Colors can look washed out or faded. These symptoms often affect one eye while the other remains unchanged, which makes them easy to overlook unless you check each eye separately on a regular basis.

Any stage of dry AMD can convert to wet AMD, and wet AMD is always classified as late-stage disease. Conversion can occur without warning. Daily Amsler grid monitoring is recommended for all AMD patients because it helps detect the sudden distortion that signals this change. If you notice new waviness, a dark spot, or missing lines in your grid, contact your eye doctor the same day for urgent evaluation rather than waiting for your next scheduled appointment.

Conversion typically causes a noticeable and sudden change, such as new waviness in straight lines, a dark or blurry patch in the center of your vision, or a rapid drop in visual clarity. Because these symptoms can appear in one eye without affecting the other, daily Amsler grid monitoring with each eye checked separately is the most reliable way to catch conversion early at home. Any sudden change warrants a same-day call to your eye specialist rather than a wait-and-see approach.

Yes, it is possible to have different forms or stages of AMD in each eye at the same time. It is also possible to develop wet AMD on top of existing dry AMD within the same eye. This is one reason your specialist examines and evaluates each eye independently at every visit, and why monitoring each eye separately with an Amsler grid at home is so important.

Anti-VEGF injections are not used to treat dry AMD directly because they target abnormal blood vessel growth, which is a feature of wet AMD rather than dry AMD. For intermediate dry AMD, AREDS2 supplements are the evidence-supported option. For late dry AMD with geographic atrophy, complement inhibitor medications are available. If your dry AMD converts to wet AMD, anti-VEGF therapy would then become the appropriate treatment.

AMD affects central vision only and does not damage peripheral, or side, vision. Most people with AMD retain enough peripheral vision to move through their environment safely. However, tasks that rely on central vision, such as reading, recognizing faces, and driving, become increasingly difficult as the disease progresses. Preserving what central vision remains through early treatment and monitoring is a primary goal of AMD care.

Wet AMD causes faster and more severe central vision loss when left untreated, but it also has effective treatments that can stabilize or in some cases partially restore vision. Late dry AMD with geographic atrophy progresses more slowly but has fewer treatment options and causes a steady, cumulative loss of central vision. Both forms require ongoing specialist care, and neither should be considered minor or manageable without medical guidance.

The frequency of visits depends on your stage and form of AMD. Early dry AMD may require monitoring every six to twelve months, while intermediate AMD often calls for more frequent visits. Wet AMD and geographic atrophy typically require much closer follow-up, sometimes monthly or every few months depending on your treatment. Your specialist will set a schedule based on your individual situation, and you should not extend or skip appointments without discussing it with your care team first.