People suffering from dry age-related macular degeneration experience a progressive loss of central vision, leading them to see colors less vividly and having difficulty recognising faces.

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of severe vision loss among adults over 60, manifested as distortion of straight lines that can only be identified with a comprehensive eye exam.

Blurred Vision

Blurry vision is typically the first symptom of age-related macular degeneration, caused by gradual cell loss in your retina which are responsible for central vision – this part of your eyes allows you to clearly see things, read, drive and walk around without experiencing blurriness or distortions in vision. Macular degeneration only affects central vision while not impacting peripheral or side vision.

Macular degeneration differs from other eye conditions such as cataracts or glaucoma in that it does not cause pain; thus making it harder to notice when your vision changes. Regular dilated exams can help detect macular degeneration at its early stages before it worsens further.

As macula cells deteriorate, you may experience blurry vision in bright lighting conditions due to cells no longer producing clear images for transmission to your brain. The resultant blurriness makes distinguishing details or seeing straight ahead difficult.

Macular degeneration’s dry form involves small yellow protein deposits known as drusen that accumulate underneath your retina, gradually growing larger as time goes on and creating fluid accumulation under it – leading to rapid central vision loss compared to its wet counterpart.

Macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels form beneath your retina and leak fluid or blood. Over time, this disease may lead to rapid and more significant decreases in central vision than with its dry version.

Both wet and dry macular degeneration can be prevented with antioxidant vitamins and a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Foods high in carotenoids – pigments believed to slow macular degeneration development – such as lutein and zeaxanthin are key ingredients found in foods like kale, spinach and other raw leafy greens as well as nutritional supplements available today.

Difficulty Reading

Your eyes don’t give off warning signals the same way achy joints do, so you may not notice gradual decline of your vision as it happens. But if reading becomes difficult or straight lines appear wavy it could be an early indicator of macular degeneration.

Condition that affects the central portion of retina. Light is converted to neural signals which the brain interprets as visual images; central vision is essential for reading, driving and seeing faces; if these tasks become harder to do it’s wise to visit an eye doctor for advice.

macular degeneration first manifests itself when your macula breaks down and distorts central vision, rendering reading difficult. Dry AMD, the most prevalent age-related macular degeneration type, can be identified by small yellow protein deposits under your retina known as drusen that appear during a comprehensive dilated eye exam – their size and number may indicate how rapidly macular degeneration progresses.

Dry AMD typically does not cause pain and the initial signs are typically blurry central vision and distortion in straight line appearance as well as hazy or dark spots appearing centrally. As the disease advances further a central blind spot may form or peripheral (side) vision may become impaired and cause difficulty following moving objects.

Wet macular degeneration (WMD), more commonly referred to as exudative or neovascular AMD, is more serious than dry AMD. This form of the condition occurs when abnormal blood vessels start growing underneath the retina and leaking fluid underneath. Over time these new blood vessels may damage or destroy macula cells quickly leading to rapid loss of central vision.

If you are at risk of wet ARMD, take vitamin supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin to lower your chances of it. In addition, quit smoking and manage other health conditions that increase your likelihood of contracting the disease, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases or obesity.

Difficulty Seeing Straight Ahead

Straight lines suddenly appearing crooked could be an early indicator of macular degeneration. This disease causes gradual loss of central vision by damaging the macula – a small area located in your retina at the back of your eye responsible for straight-ahead vision and fine details clarity. Macular degeneration comes in two forms – wet and dry. With wet macular degeneration occurring when abnormal blood vessels form underneath your macula that leak fluid/blood through abnormal capillaries beneath it which scars it permanently blurring central vision completely while dry macular degeneration does not affect peripheral vision (side vision).

At an early stage of macular degeneration, it’s essential that regular visits are made to your doctor. They can perform a comprehensive eye exam using modern technologies such as an Amsler grid for measuring central vision or by injecting dye into veins in your arm and photographing its passage through blood vessels in your retina. If signs of wet macular degeneration arise, fluorescein angiography or OCT may also be used to examine blood vessels underneath your retina – this method can detect new vessels leaking fluid or blood that could potentially contribute to its progression.

If you have been diagnosed with macular degeneration, there are ways to mitigate its progression and make central vision better. Eating fruits and vegetables regularly may provide antioxidant vitamins which may lower risk of further vision loss. You could also add fish, nuts and dark green leafy vegetables into your diet for omega-3 fatty acid supplementation which could aid with wet macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration should be detected early, so treatment can begin before vision deteriorates further. You can help slow progression by protecting your eyes with good sunglasses and wearing a hat or visor when outdoors; smoking should also be avoided and weight control maintained as obesity increases the risk for macular degeneration.

Difficulty Seeing Colors

If straight lines appear wavy or you are having difficulty distinguishing colors, this should be enough to prompt an appointment with an eye doctor. These could be symptoms of macular degeneration – an eye disease in which central vision blurs, eventually leading to blindness in the center of your visual field; peripheral (side) vision remains unaffected; however it interferes with daily activities like driving, reading and recognizing faces as well as fine details on objects such as letter outlines or number numbers becoming harder to see clearly and colors becoming less vivid than before.

Macular degeneration is a painless condition in which the macula, the part of your retina responsible for sharp central vision, gradually loses its capacity. It often develops slowly; often people don’t realize their vision has worsened until they find they cannot read, drive or recognize faces anymore.

Macular degeneration cannot be stopped entirely, but there are ways to slow its progress. One effective method is obtaining regular comprehensive eye exams – including tests for central vision and contrast sensitivity – from your eye doctor. They may check for signs of macular degeneration like drusen or pigment clumping under the retina as well as having you look through an Amsler grid to identify distortion in your vision.

Macular degeneration’s wet form often manifests with difficulty seeing in dim lighting, as its blood vessels under the retina grow and leak, leaving dark spots or patches of empty vision at its center. People living with wet macular degeneration typically require medication to inhibit this growth of abnormal blood vessels as well as stop leaks that compromise their central vision.

Macular degeneration can be avoided through healthy lifestyle choices such as eating a balanced diet and staying physically active, quitting smoking and managing medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, taking vitamin supplements or seeing your OD regularly. Dr. Richlin, OD & Associates is at the forefront of macular degeneration treatments; to learn more contact their Beverly Hills, California office or request an appointment online.