Signs and Symptoms of Macular Degeneration

Medically reviewed by Christine L. Larsen, MD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), often known as just macular degeneration, is a type of vision loss that affects your central vision. This means that things in the middle of your visual field become blurry—no matter if they are close by or far away—while your peripheral (side) vision remains normal. This condition affects nearly 9% of the population and is one of the most common causes of vision loss in adults over 60.

How macular degeneration presents varies. In most cases, the vision changes are gradual, but up to 10% of people with this condition experience rapid vision loss. Knowing the early warning signs and understanding the symptoms can prompt you to seek care from your eye care specialist sooner.

Early Symptoms

There are two types of macular degeneration: dry (atrophic) and wet (exudative). While both conditions affect your central vision, they can present symptoms differently. Wet AMD is more rare and severe, and also causes symptoms that appear suddenly without early warning signs. But dry AMD, which can develop into wet AMD later, causes gradual vision changes.

Dry AMD occurs when drusen (a type of protein deposit) forms in the macula—the part of the eye that helps you see what's directly in front of you. Eye care providers (like optometrists and ophthalmologists) can detect when drusen starts developing in your eye, which makes it easier to diagnose dry macular degeneration even before you start experiencing symptoms.

While early-stage macular degeneration can’t be treated, diagnosis is critical. There are steps you can take to slow its progress and prepare for life with vision loss.

Intermediate Symptoms

It isn’t until the intermediate stages of dry macular degeneration that you start to notice changes to your central vision. The symptoms start mildly but become more pronounced as more cells in the macula start to die. With dry AMD, symptoms start appearing slowly and worsen over several years. But with wet AMD, symptoms develop much more rapidly.

Macular degeneration affects how you see objects right in front of you—which involves the vision you use to read, watch TV, drive, or perform daily tasks. When you start experiencing symptoms, you'll likely notice the following:

• Mild blurriness in your central vision

• Straight lines that appear wavy

• Graying or fading of colors

• Reduced contrast between colors or objects

• Objects that appear distorted, warped, crooked, or bent

• Problems adjusting to low light, such as when you walk into a dark room

• Difficulty with reading or looking at screens

• Needing more light than you're used to when reading

• Trouble recognizing faces or objects, especially in low-light conditions

Since macular degeneration is due to damage to the macula, peripheral vision—what you see with the “sides” of your eyes—is not affected. In most cases, the symptoms of AMD affect both of your eyes, but it's typically worse in one of them.

Advanced Symptoms

As macular degeneration progresses, the vision loss becomes more pronounced. You may have problems with depth perception and see colors as faded or gray or with less contrast. Seeing things in low lighting becomes even more challenging. In this stage, you experience signs of central vision failure, such as spots of blurriness growing larger, darker, or becoming completely blank.

Of the two main types of macular degeneration, wet AMD tends to lead to more severe vision loss. Whereas advanced dry AMD can make reading or driving impossible because of blurry or blank spots, wet AMD can lead to areas of total blindness in the central vision.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

If you’re at higher risk for macular degeneration, make sure to get tested annually. This is the case if you have a family history of macular degeneration or vision loss, are older than 55, smoke, or have a type of cardiovascular (heart) disease.

Let your healthcare provider know if you experience changes in your vision, such as diminished color or trouble seeing fine details. This is especially the case if straight lines appear wavy or crooked—which is a common early symptom.

Since wet macular degeneration can advance quickly—and because early intervention can help slow it down—it's important to get immediate help if you notice any of the following:

• Worsening vision problems

• Newly formed blurry or blank spots in your central vision

• Objects appearing larger or smaller than they are, distorted, wavy, or bent

Questions to Ask your Provider

It's good practice to see your eye care provider if you are noticing vision changes. When seeking care for macular degeneration, think about asking your provider the following questions:

• Will glasses help reduce my blurry vision?

• What lifestyle changes can I make to protect my eyes?

• What treatments are available to treat vision loss?

• What can I do to adapt to daily life with my vision loss?

• How long is it safe for me to drive with this condition?

A Quick Review

Macular degeneration causes a progressive loss of vision in the central part of your visual field. This condition is often asymptomatic (doesn't have symptoms) in its early stages. But, as the condition progresses, signs of macular degeneration may include patches of blurriness, visual distortions, and changes in the way you see colors. It's important to seek care if you're experiencing vision problems or have symptoms of this condition. Without proper management, macular degeneration can cause complete blindness quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before macular degeneration causes blindness?

How quickly your condition causes significant or complete vision loss depends on the type of macular degeneration. For about 90% of those with dry macular degeneration, the condition takes years to advance, and it may not lead to total blindness. But with wet macular degeneration, symptoms progress rapidly–sometimes within a couple of weeks.

What is the average age of onset for macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration occurs due to changes in the eye, which most occur due to aging. Most people receive a diagnosis in their 70s, but anyone older than 55 is at risk of this condition.

Can laser eye surgery fix symptoms of macular degeneration?

Healthcare providers can treat wet macular degeneration with a type of laser surgery called photodynamic therapy (PDT). After injecting your eye with a light-sensitive medicine, specialists direct laser beams to repair the blood vessels in your eyes. While this doesn’t cure symptoms, it can stop them getting worse or slow their progression.

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