Macular degeneration occurs when the retina – the thin layer of light-sensing cells at the back of your eye that detects light – begins to break down and can result in severe vision loss.

Dry macular degeneration is one of the most prevalent forms of the condition, in which yellow deposits known as drusen form under the retina.

Blurred or hazy vision

Blurred vision is one of the primary symptoms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye condition caused by damage to your macula – a small area in the retina responsible for central vision that allows you to perceive fine details clearly. AMD typically progresses slowly over time.

Blurry vision can be the telltale sign of AMD and can negatively impact your daily activities such as reading, driving or recognizing faces and colors. If you notice blurriness in your vision, seek medical help immediately – otherwise the consequences could be serious. If this occurs to you, seek treatment as soon as possible from your healthcare provider.

Unfocal vision impairment could occur for various reasons, including:

Eye infections or allergies–If you are experiencing blurry vision for an extended period, it is wise to visit your physician as soon as possible to rule out any serious issues. Eye strain or fatigue from computer use–It’s wise to take frequent rest breaks and work in an ergonomically designed office with proper lighting to alleviate eye strain and ensure regular vision exams are conducted to prevent future issues. -Pregnancy–Suddenly blurred vision during gestation could be an indication of preeclampsia which is a potentially life threatening condition called preeclampsia which requires medical intervention immediately.

Upon diagnosis of dry macular degeneration by your doctor, chances are good that they will prescribe vitamins to slow its progress and possibly even help protect vision loss in some instances. There has also been research undertaken to see whether certain vitamins could actually prevent severe vision loss caused by macular degeneration.

Wet macular degeneration (WMD), the more advanced stage of AMD, occurs when new blood vessels form under the retina in an eye, leading to bleeding and fluid buildup that disrupts macula function. Straight lines may become wavy or blurry during this stage and reading or driving may become harder as a result of it.

Difficulty reading

Macular degeneration is an eye condition that attacks the center of your vision, caused by damage to the retina (which lines the back of your eyeball and responds to light). The macula is the central portion of this retina; its primary role is collecting images for transmission to your brain in order to help you see objects and people straight ahead. When cells in this central portion deteriorate, reading, driving and recognising faces become difficult tasks.

Macular degeneration begins in its initial stage: dry age-related macular degeneration. This begins with deposits called drusen appearing under the retina, though these deposits don’t cause harm in themselves; but as they grow larger or increase in number they could indicate increased risk for advanced macular degeneration and can be easily seen on retina photographs and eye examinations.

Macular degeneration symptoms include blurriness or haziness of central vision. This distortion may become especially apparent when gazing upon objects or people close by. You may also observe straight lines seem bent or wavy – your doctor can use an Amsler grid, with black lines arranged in checkerboard fashion, to test central vision if you appear blurry; any missing lines indicate more severe macular degeneration is beginning.

Wet macular degeneration often follows dry AMD. It occurs when abnormal blood vessels form beneath the retina and leak fluid, leading to faster vision loss rates and central vision distortion. When this occurs, wet AMD drugs such as VEGF may be prescribed to treat these new blood vessels and restore central vision distortions.

Difficulty driving

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss among those over 50, occurring when central retinal tissue deteriorates and makes reading, driving and other tasks that require clear central vision more challenging. While AMD usually progresses slowly without leading to complete blindness, it can make life much more challenging in many other ways.

Macular degeneration’s most prevalent form is known as dry age-related macular degeneration, wherein the macula thins and breaks down, leading to blurriness and distortion of central vision. It usually affects just one eye at once but may affect both simultaneously; its cause lies in ageing as well as damage done through smoking, high blood pressure or cholesterol, obesity, eating a diet low in fruits and vegetables and having light-colored eyes among other sources.

At this stage of dry macular degeneration, small yellow protein deposits known as drusen can form underneath the retina, blurring or hazying central vision and making facial or color recognition increasingly difficult, difficulty adapting to low lighting levels, loss of detail in central vision and distortion of straight objects such as telephone poles or venetian blinds more prominent. Drusen are easily detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam but only trained professionals are capable of telling how big they are. Their presence can easily be identified during an eye exam dilated eye exam; only trained professionals know their size in depth. Drusen are easy to detect during an eye exam but only trained professionals know their size in depth – symptoms include gradual deterioration in facial recognition, difficulty adapting to low lighting levels, loss of detail in center vision and distortion such as telephone poles and venetian blinds becoming visible within.

Wet macular degeneration (ARMD) is an uncommon but more serious form of macular degeneration caused by abnormal blood vessels forming beneath the retina and leaking fluid, often rapidly and profoundly diminishing vision over time. Although risk factors for wet ARMD overlap with dry AMD, treatment options include medications and laser therapies to address its symptoms.

Difficulty recognizing faces

Macular degeneration occurs when the central part of your retina (which sends visual information from your eyeball back to your brain) loses sharp focus, making it more difficult for activities requiring central vision such as reading or driving; but this does not lead to blindness; typically only peripheral (side) vision is affected.

Your doctor can detect macular degeneration through various instruments and charts, as well as by performing angiography or optical coherence tomography OCT; this involves injecting dye into veins in your arm, then taking photos as the dye passes through blood vessels in your retina – this shows whether new vessels are leaking fluid or blood beneath your retina, and can reveal abnormalities like drusen (yellow deposits under the retina).

Age related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness among adults over 60, typically occurring when light-sensing cells in the macular (central area of retina) begin to degenerate and cease working, usually caused by aging, but other risk factors including smoking, high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diet, light skin tone and family history may increase your chances.

Dry macular degeneration causes blurry central vision and is identified by yellow deposits called drusen under your retina, with their size and number helping your doctor assess whether you are at an early or advanced stage of disease progression. Wet macular degeneration occurs in about 20% of those diagnosed with dry ARMD; its symptoms include abnormal blood vessel growth that leaks fluid under your retina.

Dark spots or blind spots

Early signs of macular degeneration may include dark or blind spots in your field of vision that gradually grow larger or become harder to detect in dim lighting; these could be signs of disease when central part of the retina (macula) begins degenerating, leading to loss of central vision which impacts reading, driving and recognising faces.

The macula contains millions of light-sensing cells. When these cells deteriorate, it can lead to blind spots appearing in your central vision – known as scotomas. Scotoma occur when nerves in an injured part of your retina cannot transmit visual messages to your brain and the resultant empty space creates symptoms such as blurry or hazy vision, difficulty reading or driving and distortion of straight lines.

Macular degeneration comes in two forms: dry and wet. With dry macular degeneration, yellowish deposits known as drusen accumulate under the retina in the macula over time causing gradual vision loss over time. For wet macular degeneration however, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina that leak blood or fluid around it into the macula leading to rapid vision loss over time.

Visit an eye doctor if you suspect macular degeneration for accurate diagnosis. They will be able to do this through vision testing with an Amsler grid and fluorescein angiography; during which harmless orange-red dye is injected into one vein in your arm and travels down towards blood vessels under your retina where it highlights them for easy diagnosis of any leakage of blood or fluid from inside them, helping your doctor diagnose severity of disease in eye disease cases.