How to Tell If You Have Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that results in blurring of central vision. The macula is an area in the central portion of the retina, at the back of the eye, and damage to that area causes a degradation of central vision. Macular degeneration has less effect on peripheral, or side, vision. "Dry" macular degeneration is the most common and develops slowly. "Wet" macular degeneration is less common and causes more serious vision loss.

Instructions

• 1

  Close one eye and observe if the central vision in the other eye is blurry. With macular degeneration, you might see just a gray spot in the center of your vision while the surrounding vision is blurry or distorted. Repeat the process with the other eye.

• 2

  Close one eye and look at a view with parallel lines, such as wallpaper with a lined pattern, lined notebook paper or another surface with straight lines. If the lines appear wavy, or if the central portion appears to be a gray spot or a hole, you could have macular degeneration. Try the test with the other eye.

• 3

  See your eye doctor immediately if either of those tests indicates failing vision in one or both eyes. Your doctor will perform vision tests, which could include ophthalmoscopy, which allows the eye doctor to look inside your eye. If the doctor sees drusen, or yellowish deposits at the back of the eye, he could determine that you have macular degeneration.

• 4

  The doctor also might give you a common test for AMD, called the Amster grid, a chart with lines in a graph pattern and a dot in the center. When you look at the center dot with one eye closed, the lines around the dot might be wavy or you might see what looks like a hole in the grid.

• 5

  Your eye doctor might recommend that you see a retinal specialist to confirm a diagnosis of macular degeneration.

  The doctor or retinal specialist might do a fluorescein angiography to examine the retinal blood vessels surrounding the macula. In this test, a dye is injected into your arm, and photos are taken as the dye passes through blood vessels in your retina.

  Another test is optical coherence tomography, an imaging test that reveals thin areas in the retina or fluid under the retina.