Macular Degeneration Symptoms

Macular degeneration is one of the primary causes of severe vision loss among individuals aged 60 or above, occurring when the macula, located centrally on your retina, begins deteriorating.

Dry aging macular degeneration often results in blurred or hazy central vision due to yellow deposits called drusen that form beneath the retina and affect central vision. A comprehensive eye exam is the best way to detect such deposits.

Blurred vision

Blurry vision can be an early telltale sign of macular degeneration, caused by a breakdown in light-sensing cells within your macula, which are responsible for your central vision. When these light sensing cells begin to degenerate, you’ll notice difficulty seeing straight ahead; peripheral vision may still remain clear but become distorted or blurry as time progresses. Therefore, it is imperative that you visit an eye doctor immediately upon experiencing blurry vision so they can assess and treat its cause while helping stop its progression further down the road.

Macular degeneration is most frequently manifested as dry age-related macular degeneration. This occurs when blood vessels under the retina leak fluid into your macula, leading to buildups of fluid which ultimately form blind spots at the center of vision.

Your straight lines may become wavy or bent, making it more difficult to read, drive a car or find objects in your environment. Colors may appear muted or less bright compared to before. Wet and dry macular degeneration don’t cause pain, making regular eye exams necessary in order to detect early symptoms.

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and leak fluid or blood into the macula, leading to macular oedema and potentially leading to central vision loss. Fluid leakage also creates dark spots or distortion in central vision – you may notice straight lines looking wavy, bent and colors seem less vibrant or vibrant as your central vision begins to blurred or degraded.

At this stage, your central vision will still be intact but may begin to blur slightly. Your eye doctor can monitor these changes during a regular eye exam using an Amsler grid chart which features straight lines similar to checkerboard pattern resembling checkerboard for signs such as yellow spots called drusen or pigment clumping which indicate macular degeneration.

Distortion in your central vision

Macular degeneration occurs when damage to your central vision causes you to see fine details clearly when performing activities like driving and reading, for instance. As a result, macular degeneration limits how well you see straight ahead and can cause some areas of your field of vision to appear distorted or darkened. As opposed to cataracts, AMD does not typically affect your peripheral or side vision. It is the leading cause of severe vision loss among people age 60 or over and most prevalent cause of blindness among people aged 50+; thought to result from changes to macula and retina and thinned out retinal layers. Age is the primary risk factor, while having a family history of the condition, smoking, high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, obesity and light-skinned complexion all increase chances for macular degeneration.

One of the primary symptoms of macular degeneration is distortion of straight lines. This happens because your central vision no longer can see details in straight lines, making them appear wavy or bent instead. This makes reading difficult or even recognising faces, and distinguishing among different colors of objects.

Macular degeneration comes in two varieties, dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration is the more prevalent type and occurs gradually as yellow protein deposits known as drusen form under the retina, eventually leading to permanent central vision loss.

Under wet macular degeneration, abnormal blood vessels form under the retina and leak fluid into the macula, weakening and stopping it from working effectively. Distorted straight lines are one of the telltale symptoms, yet detection may be difficult due to eye examinations not showing blood or fluid leakage into it.

Macular degeneration, both dry and wet forms, is more serious than previously believed; early detection increases your chance of saving central vision. A doctor can detect wet macular degeneration with an Amsler grid which measures central vision.

Dark spots in your field of vision

If you discover dark spots in your field of vision, this could be a telltale sign of advanced macular degeneration. These spots tend to remain stationary when you move your eyes; they could appear like dots, lines, or squiggly shapes and appear darker than their surrounding area; such spots are known as floaters.

Macular degeneration, an eye disease affecting your retina that captures images for transmission to the brain, affects only the central portion of your retina – the macula. When damaged, you will have difficulty seeing straight ahead as well as blurriness or dark areas in central vision – not affecting side or peripheral vision at all.

Early stages of macular degeneration produce yellow deposits called drusen that build and break down light-sensing cells in the macula, visible only with a dilated eye exam. Although drusen do not directly cause vision loss, they increase one’s risk for more advanced forms of AMD.

Dry macular degeneration often progresses to “wet” macular degeneration, in which abnormal blood vessels form beneath the retina and leak fluid into central vision, obscuring central vision and leading to severe and rapid vision loss, or even permanent blindness if untreated with laser therapy. While wet macular degeneration is less prevalent than its dry form, its serious consequences remain. If left untreated with laser treatments, permanent blindness could occur.

If you suspect wet macular degeneration, it is imperative that you seek medical advice as soon as possible. A procedure called fluorescein angiography or optical coherence tomography (OCT) will enable your doctor to detect new blood vessels growing under the retina that leak fluid, using safe dye injected through veins in your arm to highlight vessels within your retina, before photographing each eye with a special camera and taking photographs to evaluate any changes caused by leaking new vessels – an indicator of wet macular degeneration.

Loss of central vision

Macular degeneration is a disease in which the central portion of your retina collects detailed images and sends them directly to your brain, collecting an overwhelming number of blurry or distorted pictures that cannot be understood by your brain. Macular degeneration causes its cells that support central vision to break down, rendering it nearly impossible to see straight ahead due to your brain being unable to interpret these blurred or distorted pictures that come in from your eyes.

Early stages of macular degeneration often progress unnoticed and without symptoms, while later stages may reveal themselves through dark spots in your vision that darken over time. If you suspect macular degeneration, make an appointment with Dr. Espy immediately as she can evaluate your symptoms and provide treatment solutions that may slow its progress.

There are two forms of macular degeneration – wet and dry. Of these types, dry macular degeneration is by far the more prevalent form, affecting over 85% of those diagnosed with AMD. Dry macular degeneration is distinguished by tiny yellow deposits called drusen that form beneath your macula and eventually interfere with central vision. At first these clumps of protein don’t pose much danger, but as they grow larger can become hindering.

Ten percent of those diagnosed with macular degeneration have wet form which is much more serious and can result in rapid vision loss. This occurs when abnormal blood vessels begin growing beneath the retina and leak fluid or blood, distorting your vision.

Macular degeneration is preventable with proper eye health practices and by making lifestyle adjustments such as following a nutritious diet and getting enough restful sleep, wearing protective eyewear when using common activities like vacuuming or gardening, wearing sunglasses when going outdoors and not smoking – plus wearing comfortable reading glasses prescribed by your physician! These steps should all go toward keeping your vision safe from macular degeneration.