This guidance sets out the principles and minimum standards of care for AMD to decrease variations of care across AMD services in England and Wales. It also provides information that can support the current and future capacity planning of AMD services. This guidance is intended for use by commissioners, providers, social care and users of the AMD services, including their families and carers.
The guidance follows the RCOphth guidance development process and is based on best available evidence obtained from systematic review of the literature (see appendix A) and is compliant with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Clinical Guideline on AMD NG82 dated 23-01-2018. NICE quality standard QS180 (standards 3 and 4) dated February 2019 has also been considered in compiling this statement.
The NICE guidance NG82 dated 23-01-2018 is the most recent classification of AMD. However, the frequently used terminologies to describe the various stages are based on previous classifications. Table 1 describes both NICE guidelines and the more commonly used terminology used to describe the changes.
Read the Editorial in Eye Chandra, S., McKibbin, M., Mahmood, S. et al. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Commissioning guidelines on age macular degeneration: executive summary. Eye (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-022-02095-2