Ask any health-conscious individual about their worries, and you'll get a laundry list - obesity, cardiovascular disease, bad cholesterol, but how often do you hear, "I am worried about Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration?" Now let the crickets sing their song.

Wet AMD (or Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration for the uncurbed tongues) is a peculiar retinal disease, the sorcerous cousin of the common AMD, accounting for just 10 to 15 percent of cases, yet wreaking havoc akin to the cinematic villains in the Marvel Universe. It’s where your eye decides to build its very own collection of abnormal Picasso-inspired blood vessels that aspire to bleed fluid, consequently distorting your vision and inducing rapid vision loss. Memorable black spots might dance in central vision, not unlike a chaotic ballet. More horrific still, this spoopy affair can develop before any significant vision changes strike.

So, who drew the short straw? Much like in the Harry Potter series where Voldemort selects Harry Potter as his mortal enemy at random, Wet AMD picks its unfortunate victims based on genetics, age, lifestyle, and seemingly, whims. If you're sporting a handsome 55-year-old avatar, have a family album replete with Wet AMD histories, identify as European descent, puff away on tobacco, lug around a significant amount of body weight, or hold the unfortunate ticket in the cardiovascular lottery, you are more likely to receive your exclusive Wet AMD invitation. Interesting fact: A diet oozing with saturated fat can set you up for Wet AMD, while a diet playing fairy godmother to fruits, veggies, and omega-3 fatty acids can shield you.

Those who fall under the category "has a family history of AMD," are burdened with twice the likelihood of developing AMD themselves. Here's the cliffhanger, genetic testing for AMD or Wet AMD risk is not recommended currently. But if you're a member of this perilous genetic club, consider quitting smoking, donning rockstar sunglasses outdoors, and devouring a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and food sources of omega-3 fatty acids, like they're going out of style. Also, regular trips to your ophthalmologist wouldn't hurt.

Wet AMD doesn't leave its victims clueless. Signs and symptoms include dark spots or distortions in your vision, needing brighter light to read or work, struggles adjusting to dim lighting, and seeing faces less familiar than before. There's no universal symptom, but your eye doctor should diagnose wet AMD with a routine eye exam and some other techy procedures.

Amidst all the doomsday prophecy, there is hope. Savvy science has devised some treatments that slow down Wet AMD progression and help keep your vision intact. Early treatment might even bring back some previously lost vision. But remember, the salads won't eat themselves. Alongside the aforementioned treats, not smoking, following a diet that's heavy on fruits, veggies, and healthy unsaturated fats, and staying physically active could put brakes on the vision loss express.

So there you have it, the stealthy assassin called Wet AMD dissected for your enlightenment. Turned out scarier than you thought, didn't it? Now go, eat your kale, wear your sunglasses, and tell that Wet AMD who's the boss.