As the name suggests, AMD is more common in the aging population. For the most part, adults under the age of 50 are unlikely to develop AMD. The older you get, the higher your risk for developing age-related macular degeneration, making annual eye exams even more important.
Age-related macular degeneration has the potential to be genetically derived. A family history of AMD puts you at a higher risk of developing it yourself. Some ethnic groups also seem to be more vulnerable than others. For example, Caucasians are more likely to develop the disease than people from other ethnic groups.
Certain lifestyle elements may increase your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. For example, patients who smoke cigarettes or struggle with obesity seem to be more vulnerable to the disease.
Even seemingly harmless elements such as ultraviolet light could impact your chances of developing AMD. Both long-term sunlight exposure and blue light from digital screens have been linked to age-related macular degeneration.