AMD (age-related macular degeneration) doesn’t hurt. This is why some people don’t even know they have it, until they start to experience loss of vision. The condition affects central vision, which means it becomes more difficult to complete everyday tasks like seeing finer details (necessary for driving and reading), seeing contrasts (needed for facial recognition) and more. Side vision (peripheral vision) is not affected by AMD.
Unfortunately, you cannot wear glasses to correct this issue, although you can be trained to better use your peripheral vision. In most people with AMD, it affects both eyes, although it is usually noticeable in one eye first.
Facts About Macular Degeneration
At the center of your retina, you will find the macula. This is the tissue at the back of eye that is sensitive to light. The macula enables you to have central vision. After the age of 60, most people start to experience at least a degree of AMD.
AMD exists in two types. The most common, found in 90% of cases, is ‘dry’ AMD. This leads to slow and progressive loss of central vision. The rarer type of AMD is ‘wet’ AMD, whereby abnormal blood vessels start to form in the macula. These vessels are generally weak, which leads to them bursting. This can, in extreme cases, cause full macular detachment. This is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
A number of factors increase the risk of developing AMD. This includes having high blood pressure, smoking and being obese. Additionally, eating a high fat, high carb diet and living a sedentary lifestyle can contribute not just to the development but also the progression of AMD.
Most people notice they have AMD when their vision starts to blur. They suddenly need more light in order to be able to read and they find it hard to recognize faces until they are very close by. Once AMD progresses, many people have a blurred spot in their central vision. With wet AMD, most people notice that straight lines suddenly begin to appear wavy.
There is no treatment for dry AMD. However, it is possible to slow down progression by living a healthy lifestyle. Once it reaches intermediate stage, taking AREDS 2 supplements has been found to slow down progression and reduce the chances of having full central vision loss. Wet AMD usually requires bi-monthly injections of a drug in the eye itself.
It can be very difficult to recognize AMD, because the symptoms are very much hidden during earlier stages, and particularly if it only happens in one eye. Furthermore, since it is not associated with any pain, there are often no warning signs of the condition being present at all. Doctors such as ophthalmologists may be able to spot the signs before anything becomes noticeable, however. This is why it is very important to have frequent eye checks. This may also enable you to take steps at the right time to slow down the progression of the condition.
Early AMD Signs and Symptoms
Most people start to notice that there is some slight blurring in their central vision. This happens both for objects near and far. There may also be a shadow or fuzz in the center of the vision, and this becomes an increasingly large area. Many people also start to develop blind spots and it can become increasingly hard to recognize detail and see color.
If you are suffering from wet AMD, you are likely to see straight lines in a wavy form. If you experience this, you must immediately seek medical attention. Wet AMD progresses very rapidly and can lead to permanent loss of vision.
Other Symptoms
A number of different symptoms will become increasingly pronounced as your AMD progresses. Different people experience different symptoms, with some people only experiencing one, and others experiencing them all. How it affects your life also varies depending on the person. The table below highlights some of the things to look out for.
| Symptom | What It Appears As | What It Causes |
| Visual field defect | The visual field is the wide angle of vision that a normal eye, not affected by AMD, can see. This may become distorted, smudged or even completely lost. | You will struggle to watch television, drive, read, write and recognize faces. |
| Contrast sensitivity | As AMD progresses, you will find it harder to spot subtle environmental changes. For instance, you won’t see the small differences in the stairs or pavement textures. It may also be more difficult to see the difference between two hues of the same color. | It can become dangerous to walk outside and climb stairs. The chance of experiencing falls is increased. |
| Poor tolerance for changes in the levels of light | Your eye will struggle to adjust at dusk or dawn, or when you exit a brightly lit area and enter a darker one. Glares can make this worse. | Night driving may become impossible. |
| Need for more light | You will usually require more light to complete everyday tasks, including cooking and reading. | Cooking may become hazardous. |
| Impaired perception of depth | You will no longer be able to judge distances properly. | Walking can become dangerous, with the chance of trips and falls increasing. |
Dry AMD Specific Signs and Symptoms
Usually, it takes between five and ten years for dry AMD to fully develop, and there are often long periods of time during which nothing changes. Because humans are so adaptable, we often don’t notice any of the symptoms. If one eye is worse than the other, the better eye will generally compensate, which means you will notice it even less. If, however, you notice any of the symptoms described in the table above, you may want to have your vision checked out by an ophthalmologist.
Wet AMD Specific Signs and Symptoms
Most of the time, wet AMD only happens in people who already have dry AMD. Your symptoms will suddenly, and very rapidly, get worse. Additionally, you can expect straight lines to appear wavy, and you may have sudden and significant blind spots. In rare cases, you may also experience visual hallucinations. This means you will see things that are not there at all.
Risk Factors
There are a number of risk factors that increase your chances of developing AMD. If any of those factors apply to you, it is even more important that you pay close attention to your vision, and that you seek medical attention if anything changes. Some of the most common risk factors include:
- Your age. If you are over 65, you are most likely to develop AMD.
- If there is a history in your family of either wet or dry AMD, you are more likely to develop it as well. A number of different genes have been identified that are related to AMD.
- Caucasians are most at risk of developing AMD.
- With every cigarette you smoke, the chance of developing AMD is increased. Second hand smoking is equally bad.
- Researchers have found that people who are obese are more likely to develop AMD earlier than others. Additionally, progression is often more rapid.
- Cardiovascular disease. Any illness that affects the blood vessels or the heart increases the chances of developing AMD as well.
When to Get Help
Because there is no cure for AMD and most people don’t experience any ill-effects until much later, most don’t seek medical advice until it is in more advanced stages. However, there are things that can be done to slow down the progression, if treatment is started at the right time. Hence, you should make sure that you have regular eye examinations, as appropriate to your age. Additionally, if you know you have AMD, you should report any noticeable changes immediately.
Resources and References:
Understanding Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) – Information on age-related maculopathy. (All About Vision)
Macular Degeneration – Information on macular degeneration. (eMedicine Health)
