Age-related macular degeneration occurs when part of the retina known as the macula breaks down, causing blurriness, dark areas or distortion to central vision. AMD affects your ability to see details clearly as well as activities like threading a needle or driving, yet doesn’t result in total blindness as peripheral vision is unaffected.

Blurred or distorted vision

Macular degeneration symptoms stem from deterioration to your macula – the central part of your retina that allows for fine details – over time, usually gradually and affecting both eyes at different rates. Once affected by eye disease, straight lines may appear crookedly or colors become altered; it’s essential that any such signs be reported immediately as early macular degeneration can be treated using medication and other means.

Macular degeneration is an incurable and nonpainful eye disease which gradually damages cells located at the back of your eye called retina, which sense light and converts it into electrical impulses that the brain interprets. Over time, as macular degeneration progresses further, these cells lose the ability to send clear signals back to your brain, leading to central vision loss and further decreasing. Therefore, it’s vitally important that eye health be monitored, especially if there is family history associated with macular degeneration.

Age may be the primary risk factor for macular degeneration, but other risk factors can increase your chances of this condition as well. These include family history, being female, smoking cigarettes regularly, high blood pressure levels and cholesterol levels as well as obesity – these conditions increase chances for wet form macular degeneration which accounts for almost 90% of severe visual loss cases.

Regular dilated eye exams can help detect early macular degeneration. Your eye doctor can look out for yellow deposits under your retina called drusen, small protein clumps that build up as your eye ages and are known to break down light-sensing cells within the macula.

Your doctor can administer an Amsler grid test to evaluate your central vision. This chart with straight lines that resemble a checkerboard may reveal if dry AMD has progressed into wet macular degeneration – in which abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and release fluid or blood into it, leading to rapid and severe loss of straight-ahead vision if left untreated.

Difficulty reading

Early macular degeneration often manifests itself in reading difficulties due to central vision deterioration. You may also notice straight lines appearing wavy or crooked; however, your peripheral (side) vision might still remain unaffected; for example you could still detect clock hands even when not directly looking at them due to macular degeneration remaining unaffected by peripheral retinal vision.

If you experience these symptoms, make an appointment with your eye care provider immediately to get checked for macular degeneration. A routine exam with imaging technology such as scanning and photos of your retina may reveal early stages. There are no cures available yet for advanced macular degeneration; however, by leading a healthy diet and lifestyle it can slow its progress down considerably.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition which gradually weakens the central part of your retina – known as the macula. It is one of the leading causes of blindness among people aged 60 or over in the United States.

ARMD can be broken down into two forms, dry and wet. Over 85% of cases of macular degeneration fall under this category; deposits known as drusen build up underneath the retina and break down its macula gradually over time.

Wet AMDR (abnormal blood vessels under the retina that leak fluid or blood into the macula) is less frequent but more serious, responsible for up to 90% of severe visual loss associated with macular degeneration.

Studies have demonstrated that certain nutrients and vitamins may lower your risk of macular degeneration, including antioxidants. This includes taking vitamin C and E supplements as well as eating foods rich in lutein-zeaxanthin, eating seafood containing omega-3 fatty acids, exercising regularly, and making changes to manage any medical conditions that increase this risk such as high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.

Though there is no cure for macular degeneration, you can take steps to keep it from worsening by following a healthy diet and refraining from smoking. Furthermore, it is wise to visit an ophthalmologist regularly in order to monitor its progress and keep yourself in optimal condition.

A dark spot in your field of vision

The macula is an area of your retina (the transparent layer that lines the inside back wall of your eye) responsible for sharp central vision needed for reading and driving. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), damage to this area often damages light-sensing cells which results in loss of central vision but does not impact side vision as much.

Macular degeneration often goes undetected during its early stages; however, as it progresses you may notice a dark spot appearing in your field of vision. This dark spot could be caused by protein build-up beneath the retina that blocks some light-sensitive cells or abnormal growth of new blood vessels beneath it which leak blood and fluid into your eyes.

Distorted straight lines are another characteristic of macular pucker, an epiretinal membrane condition which causes scar tissue formation on the macula and distorting straight lines. If this happens to you, wavy or crookedness lines may appear, and it is important that a comprehensive eye exam be scheduled as soon as possible.

Macular degeneration comes in two forms – dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration is the more prevalent form, in which your macula thins with age, leading to tiny protein clusters called drusen developing on your retina – eventually diminishing central vision over time.

Wet macular degeneration (WMD), although less prevalent, is more dangerous because it can result in total blindness. WMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and begin leaking blood and fluid; this causes central vision loss rapidly while also distorting vision distortions quickly.

Risk factors for macular degeneration include family history, race, smoking, obesity and cardiovascular disease. To lower the risk of macular degeneration it’s essential to have a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish containing omega-3 fatty acids; eating these will help lower risk factors associated with it.

A change in your vision

Macular degeneration refers to the gradual deterioration of an area in your retina called the macula, which serves as the central part of your vision, enabling you to view objects and images directly ahead. Your retina lines the inside back wall of your eyeball and collects detailed images that are then sent directly into your brain. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss among adults over 50 and generally results in central vision loss without complete blindness. Recent studies suggest taking high dose vitamins and antioxidants with specific formulations as well as eating foods rich in lutein zeaxanthin zinc vitamin C E may reduce risks for advanced forms of macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration comes in two forms, dry and wet. Over 85% of those diagnosed with macular degeneration develop the dry form, when yellow protein deposits under the retina (known as drusen) begin to build up slowly over time. Although symptoms might not present themselves initially, eventually more serious blood vessels sprout and leak fluid and blood out from underneath retina which then causes rapid vision loss. The wet type is much faster and severe vision loss over time than its dry counterpart.

Your doctor can detect early stages of macular degeneration during a routine eye exam by using an Amsler grid chart to inspect for any wavy or missing straight lines, and if detected they will recommend an angiography or optical coherence tomography (OCT) procedure that uses harmless orange-red dye injected into veins in your arm and which travels through blood vessels before appearing on photographs taken of retina. Such tests can also reveal new blood vessels which leak fluid or blood beneath retina which hasn’t previously been visible before.

These tests help your physician gauge the degree to which macular degeneration has progressed and will enable them to assess whether you require treatment that could slow its progress.