How to Know if You Have Macular Degeneration

As one of the leading causes of irreversible vision loss in people over the age of 60 in the United States, macular degeneration is a chronic eye disease that damages the macula, the part of the retina responsible for capturing sharp, detailed information from the center of our visual field. It enables us to perform tasks such as reading, driving, recognizing faces, distinguishing colors, contrast and seeing fine details. While there is a juvenile form of macular degeneration called Stargardt’s disease, macular degeneration usually develops with advanced age.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) comes in 2 forms, commonly known as dry and wet. These names reflect the specific physical changes that occur in the retina. Wet, exudative, AMD causes blood vessels to leak and grow under the retina. With dry, atrophic, AMD, the center of the retina called the macula deteriorates. Macular degeneration is an inherited eye disease but can develop in anyone. Although the causes of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are multifaceted, several risk factors can be managed. Smoking, excess body weight, particularly abdominal fat and untreated cardiovascular conditions or high blood pressure all elevate the risk of developing AMD. Similarly, prolonged exposure to sunlight without proper eye protection is also a contributing factor.

If you’re wondering how to know if you have macular degeneration, there are several early warning signs. People with AMD often notice blurred or distorted vision in the center of their sight. Straight lines might appear wavy and dark or empty spots may develop in the central visual field. Because the symptoms may be synonymous with other eye conditions, regular eye exams, especially as you age, are crucial for detecting these changes to vision early.

There are several tests that eye doctors use to check for macular degeneration. These comprehensive exams detect signs of AMD even before symptoms become obvious and cause vision loss. The most common ones include:

Dilated Eye Exam: Special eye drops help to widen the pupils to get a better view of the retina located at the back of the eye

Amsler Grid Test: Can be done at home as well as in a doctor’s office. By looking at a grid of horizontal and vertical lines, it can indicator symptoms of AMD if the lines appear way, blurry or missing to the patient

Optical Coherence Tomography: A non-invasive 3D image test that takes high resolution, cross-sectional images of the layers of the retina with light waves

Fluorescein Angiography: A special dye is injected into the patient’s arm that travels up to the blood vessels in the eye. As the dye passes through, a camera takes pictures allowing the doctor to see any leaks or abnormal blood vessels

Fundus Photography: Captures color 2D images of the back of the eye, including the retina, optic disc, macula and blood vessels to see within its structures

Visual Acuity Test: Standard eye chart that assess how well a person can see at varying distances

Indocyanine Green Angiography: Like fluorescein photography, but utilizes a different dye that highlights deeper layers of the retina; often used when detecting abnormal blood vessels in wet AMD that other tests may not detect

Dark Adaptometry: A simple test that measures how quickly the eye adjust to darkness; patients with AMD often have difficulty adapting to low light conditions

These tests are often used together for a comprehensive view of the eye’s health and for detecting changes and abnormalities in the retina that may lead to macular degeneration. To learn more, contact Associated Retina Consultants at 602-242-4928 or WEBSITE.