02/11/2026
February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month!
Dr. Tobe is a comprehensive ophthalmologist who spends her time monitoring and treating glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome and other medical eye conditions in addition to routine eye exams. Dr. Tobe treats conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, macular degeneration and retinal vein occlusions with in-office intraocular injections.
Aging adults who face increased odds of developing a degenerative eye disease often narrow their eye health focus to watching for signs of the world’s two leading causes of blindness – cataract and glaucoma. Lost in the messaging mix among seniors across the U.S. is adequate awareness of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Americans aged 65 years and older.
Nearly two million Americans have AMD, which causes harm to the sufferer’s central vision and limits his/her ability to read, write and recognize faces. Dry AMD (atrophic AMD) affects 8 out of 10 sufferers and is caused by the slow deterioration, or thinning, of the macula over time. Wet AMD (advanced neovascular AMD), or late-stage AMD, is a less common, but more serious form of AMD. At this stage, quicker vision loss occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye and damage the macula.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has designated February as Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month. During February, the AAO encourages senior adults to take time to learn more about AMD as a serious degenerative eye disease that leads to irreversible vision loss or blindness if left untreated. The AAO has outlined preventive practices that can help seniors reduce their risk of developing AMD and recognize the subtle, often easy-to-miss signs when this disease develops.
