Intermediate Dry Macular Degeneration
People with intermediate dry
macular degeneration have either many medium-sized drusen or one or more large drusen. Some people see a blurred spot in the center of their vision. More light may be needed for reading and other tasks.
Advanced Dry Macular Degeneration
In addition to drusen, people with advanced dry macular degeneration have a breakdown of light-sensitive cells and supporting tissue in the central retinal area. This breakdown can cause a blurred spot in the center of your vision. Over time, the blurred spot may get bigger and darker, taking up more of your central vision. You may have difficulty reading or recognizing faces until they are very close to you.
If you have vision loss from dry macular degeneration in one eye only, you may not notice any changes in your overall vision. With the other eye seeing clearly, you still can drive, read, and see fine details. You may notice changes in your vision only if macular degeneration affects both eyes. If blurriness occurs in your vision, see an eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Diagnosing Dry Macular Degeneration
In order to make a dry macular degeneration diagnosis, your doctor will ask you a number of questions about your medical history and will also perform a comprehensive eye exam.
This comprehensive eye exam may include the following:
- Visual acuity test
- Dilated eye exam
- Tonometry
- Amsler grid
- Fluorescein angiogram.
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