Macular degeneration often begins subtly and without notice; only after its progression do most people recognize they have it. Your optometrist will conduct a comprehensive eye exam to screen for signs of macular degeneration in your retina and macula areas during a dilated exam.

At this exam, you may notice that straight lines appear wavy or your central vision has become clouded – two early indicators of macular degeneration. Here are some early symptoms:

1. Distortion in Straight Lines

The macula, located at the centre of our eyes, allows us to read, drive a car, recognize faces and colours, as well as visualise objects in fine detail. When this area becomes distorted due to macular degeneration, straight lines may appear crooked or wavy – one of the early telltale signs. Distortions may occur either due to shape (metamorphopsia), size (micropsia or macropsia), or colour (dyschromatopsia), giving objects that seem either too large or too small than normal compared with their actual proportions.

Most people have some yellow deposits called drusen in their retina that usually do not cause concern, however if these drusen start growing and multiplying late-stage dry macular degeneration they could lead to distortion of straight lines and may require medical intervention to rectify. If straight lines start appearing wavy or crooked this should be an early warning sign and we advise reaching out to Pacific Pier Optometry immediately for assessment and advice.

If the progression of dry macular degeneration is left unmonitored by your doctor, it could develop into wet macular degeneration – caused by abnormal blood vessels forming underneath the retina that leak fluid or blood into scarred macula tissue, leading to rapid vision loss and scarring the macula permanently. Wet macular degeneration requires urgent medical intervention in order to avoid permanent vision loss.

Macular degeneration can be managed by following your doctor’s advice regarding diet, vitamins and supplements known to slow progression. You should also monitor your eyesight daily using an Amsler grid and visit an ophthalmologist regularly for follow-up appointments to address changes in vision. If there is a family history of macular degeneration in your family tree, regular comprehensive eye exams every two to four years may help detect problems early and treat them before they worsen further.

2. Blurred Vision

If you’re experiencing difficulty with seeing straight lines, it could be a telltale sign of macular degeneration worsening. People living with dry macular degeneration typically experience blurred vision as light-sensitive cells in the macula gradually break down over time. While the condition doesn’t normally impact peripheral (side) vision directly, it may make it hard for close objects or dim lighting situations to be seen clearly.

Things can appear wavy or crooked due to fluid and blood vessels leaking under your retina causing fluid accumulation underneath, drawing away from its original position and raising your macula, distorting central vision and making reading, driving and recognising faces more challenging. This occurs because fluid accumulation causes your macula to move out of its natural position resulting in distorted central vision – this raises it and distorts central vision further, increasing distortion as well as making central vision loss worse resulting in difficulty reading, driving and recognising faces!

Macular degeneration’s wet form occurs when abnormal blood vessels form beneath the retina and leak fluid and blood into scarred maculae, rapidly diminishing vision loss. This form can lead to blindness in up to 15% of cases of macular degeneration; and is also linked with higher risks of cataracts and glaucoma development.

At any point if your vision changes, it is vitally important that you inform your doctor immediately, especially if there is a family history of macular degeneration or diabetes in your family. They will assess your condition and suggest steps you can take to slow or stop its progression; tests such as Optical Coherence Tomography can produce detailed maps of your retina that reveal areas where thickening or fluid accumulation has taken place.

3. Changes in Color

The macula is responsible for our sharp central vision, enabling us to read, drive, and recognize faces. If you notice changes in either color or clarity in this area of your vision, it could be an early indicator of macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration’s first symptoms are difficulty seeing clearly in low light environments. You may require more light to see clearly and colors may seem less vibrant or faded due to photoreceptor thinning in your macula, leading your brain to misinterpret what you see.

An early sign of macular degeneration is seeing blank or dark spots in your central vision when reading or driving, especially while reading or driving. Other symptoms could include seeing straight lines appear wavy or curvy and colors changing shape, size or texture; it is crucial that any such changes be immediately addressed by getting an eye exam. If this occurs it is essential that an appointment be scheduled right away with an optometrist for further evaluation.

People suffering from macular degeneration often experience a decline in fine detail vision as their macula becomes thinner with age and protein deposits known as drusen build up under the retina, eventually blocking your ability to see fine details. As the disease advances, more clumps form under your retina obscuring fine details from view.

Macular degeneration comes in two varieties. The dry form occurs gradually due to a breakdown or thinning of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), the layer that supports light-sensitive photoreceptor cells located within the macula. On the other hand, wet macular degeneration occurs rapidly as abnormal blood vessels form within the macula and leak fluid or blood resulting in rapid central blindness that must be immediately addressed by seeing an eye specialist immediately.

4. Changes in Patterns

As the macula begins to decline, people can have difficulty seeing patterns due to brain no longer receiving input from that part of the retina. Some individuals begin experiencing visual hallucinations known as Charles Bonnet syndrome – not a sign of mental illness but simply due to visuals being created when no visual input from eye is received by brain.

Another early symptom of macular degeneration is diminished colors, as the macula plays a pivotal role in sending signals about color to the brain; when its function starts deteriorating, colors may appear less vividly – something often reported by patients suffering early AMD.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, make an appointment at Pacific Pier Optometry immediately. A comprehensive eye examination is one of the best ways to catch macular degeneration early, increasing our odds of stopping its progress towards wet macular degeneration.

An eye exam to check for macular degeneration typically involves dilation using eye drops and the illumination of light into your eyes with several tools including an ophthalmoscope and microscope. Your physician may also perform fundus autofluorescence imaging – this uses a special camera to capture fluorescence of pigments in your retina to help detect changes associated with macular degeneration quickly and painlessly.

5. Sight Loss

The macula is the area of your retina that provides central vision, making it possible to read, drive and recognize faces. When macular degeneration sets in, the macula begins to thin. You may experience blurry straight-ahead vision; lines may become wavy; colors faded; etc. If these symptoms arise for you, consult an eye doctor immediately – they may ask you to complete an Amsler grid as part of their exam as this simple chart contains multiple small lines which help your doctor spot early macular degeneration by noting any changes wavy or blurriness between lines in an Amsler grid which will help them diagnose early macular degeneration by noting any changes within its series of lines; thus helping your doctor quickly identify early macular degeneration!

Macular degeneration typically progresses slowly and does not lead to serious vision problems or blindness, but some individuals can develop the more serious wet form, in which abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and leak blood or fluid into it, leading to rapid central vision loss. Wet macular degeneration may be less prevalent but remains a serious threat because its effects cannot be reversed.

Early detection of macular degeneration enables your doctor to prescribe treatments that may slow its progress. The best way to identify macular degeneration is through regular visits with your physician – particularly if any family members suffer from it – and also if any changes in your vision arise, including distortion in straight lines or lack of sharpness of color and detail. Contact us now and set up an appointment.