Distorted vision in the form of metamorphopsia, in which a grid of straight lines appear wavy and parts of the grid may appear blank. Patients often first notice this when looking at things like blinds in their home or telephone poles while driving.
Early on there are often no symptoms. Over time, however, some people experience a gradual worsening of vision that may affect one or both eyes. While it does not result in complete blindness, loss of central vision can make it hard to recognise faces, drive, read, or perform other activities of daily life.
Slow recovery of visual function after exposure to bright light (photo stress test)
- Visual acuity drastically decreasing (two levels or more), e.g.: 20/20 to 20/80
- Blurred vision
- Trouble discerning colours, specifically dark on dark colours or light on light colours
- A loss in contrast sensitivity
- Formed visual hallucinations and flashing lights have also been associated with severe visual loss secondary to wet AMD
- Visual hallucinations may also occur
Macular degeneration typically occurs in older people. Genetic factors and smoking also play a role.
Treatment of macular degeneration varies depending on the category of the disease at the time of diagnosis. In general, treatment is aimed at slowing down the progression of AMD.
Currently, there are no treatments to reverse the effects of AMD.
Here are some possible treatments your ophthalmologist may advise:
Age-related Macular degeneration (AMD): Book a consultation
"*" indicates required fields