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  11. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Introduction

Age-related Macular Degeneration is a condition where the macula — the part of the eye that controls your straight-ahead vision — becomes damaged 1. Because a person with AMD can’t look directly at something to see it, they struggle to take in the “whole picture” of what they’re looking at.

As of 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 8 million people worldwide have AMD 2.

Simulations of AMD

Two young boys laughing in front of a stand of trees. A large black smudge in the center of the photo obscures one boy's face and the other's chest.
Copyright © National Eye Institute (NEI)
A person holding two sports balls in front of a fence. A large grey smudge obscures the person's face, making them unrecognizable. The rest of the image is somewhat blurry.
Copyright © National Eye Institute (NEI)

Design Considerations

The design considerations for low vision and the design considerations for blindness apply to people with AMD.

Additional resources

  • TBD
  1. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) by the National Eye Institute[↩]
  2. Blindness and Vision Impairment by the World Health Organization, dated 10 August 2023[↩]