As you get older, your eyes change. You might develop blurry vision or other trouble seeing. This could be a sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Wet AMD is the advanced form of the disease. It happens when new blood vessels form beneath the retina and start to leak, causing vision problems.
Macular degeneration is common in older adults. For every 10 people who have macular degeneration, one or two will get wet AMD. But spotting the wet AMD symptoms early will help you get treatment and prevent vision loss.
Common Wet AMD Symptoms
Wet AMD can start suddenly. You won't feel pain, but you might notice problems with your eyesight. This could take several forms.
Blurring of central vision
At first, you may simply notice blurred or distorted vision. With wet AMD, the details of the blurred vision could include a blind spot in the center of your field of vision. This blank area could be gray, red, or black.
For example, if you look straight at the face of a clock that has hands, the numbers around the edge might look normal, but you might not be able to see the clock's hands or the clock's hands could appear distorted.
Vision distortion
Another sign is that things look twisted or wavy, like you were seeing them in a funhouse mirror. It may be most pronounced for items in the center of your vision. This is sometimes called vision distortion or metamorphopsia. It's caused by the collection of fluid beneath the retina. The broken blood vessels may also cause the retina to pucker and change shape, leading to wavy vision.
Micropsia
This is when objects appear smaller than they actually are, like the opposite of looking through a magnifying glass. It can sometimes happen with wet AMD.
Scotoma
Wet AMD can cause dark spots called scotomas. These happen in areas where blood vessels break and leak, damaging the eye.
Problems with color perception
Wet AMD can also make it hard to tell colors apart. It may be especially tricky to see the difference between blue and yellow.
Other wet AMD symptoms may include:
- Not being able to see fine details clearly
- Trouble reading or seeing details in low light
- Being bothered by glare
- Seeing an object's size or color differently with one eye than with the other
Less Common Symptoms of Wet AMD
Some wet AMD symptoms aren't common, but you need to know about them in case they affect you.
Difficulty adjusting to low light levels
When you have the disease, your eyes may need a long time to adjust when you go from bright light to some place dimmer. For instance, when you step from daylight into a dark movie theater, you might have a hard time seeing the seats. Your eyes might take 30 minutes to get used to the low light.
You might have no problem at the center of your vision except when you look at a white wall. Then you see a dark patch there.
Light flashes in center of vision
In rare cases, you might see flashes of light in the center of your field of vision. If the flashes crop up at the side of your field of view, that could be a different problem, such as a detached retina.
Charles Bonnet syndrome
If you have severe vision loss, you may see things that aren't there, in the blind spot at the center of your field of view. They could be patterns like wallpaper, or they might be people or animals. It happens because your brain fills in the blanks for the signals it isn't getting from that part of your eye.
You might hear your doctor call this Charles Bonnet syndrome. It can happen with other causes of vision loss, too.
Wet AMD Complications
Over time, wet AMD can cause blindness. Without treatment, about eight or nine out of every 10 people with the condition will become legally blind.
Vision loss can be a major life change. It might affect the way you do everyday activities. You might need to be creative about trying new ways to do things. Tools like magnifying glasses or smartphone apps might be able to help. Other people also can help you take care of yourself if you have trouble seeing.
What Aren't Symptoms of Wet AMD?
Some eye problems may seem like signs of wet AMD but aren't. You need to see your eye doctor to find out what's going on.
Floaters. These are dark specks that float around in the jelly-like stuff that fills your eye. They're common and can cast shadows inside your eye. That may mimic the blank spot that AMD causes at the center of your vision. But floaters aren't AMD symptoms.
Here's one way to tell if your eye has floaters. If you move your eye quickly and then stop, a floater and its shadow will usually keep moving for a moment. Floaters are usually no problem.
But if you have floaters and see flashes at the edge of your field of view, that could signal a problem with the retina at the rear of your eye. Tell your eye doctor.
Late-onset retinal degeneration. With this condition, your vision is blurred and gets worse. Like AMD, it can start in your 50s or 60s. But late-onset retinal degeneration messes up your entire field of vision, while AMD mainly affects the center.
If You Have Dry AMD
Most people with AMD have the dry form, which usually does less damage to your vision. But the dry type can turn into the wet type.
If you have dry AMD, be on guard for any changes in your eyesight, and get regular checkups with your eye doctor so that you're aware if it changes to wet AMD.
Taking dietary supplements may help slow the progression of dry AMD. A recent study found that a vitamin and mineral mixture known as AREDS2 is the most effective. It can slow the progression of AMD by about 26%, research shows. Unlike the original AREDS formula, AREDS2 includes antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin and does not have beta-carotene.
Ask your doctor if supplements might help you.
When to Contact Your Doctor
If you notice changes in your vision, call your eye doctor right away. If you have AMD, regularly check your vision using an Amsler grid . This is a simple grid pattern that has a dot in the middle. Changes like wavy lines or dark spots can be an early sign of trouble.
Takeaways
Wet AMD can cause things to appear blurry, wavy, or twisted, especially in the center of your vision. These changes can get worse over time. If you notice any changes in your vision, talk to a doctor immediately. Early treatment can help prevent vision loss and blindness.
Wet AMD FAQs
How can you tell if you have wet or dry AMD?
Dry AMD might cause mild symptoms like blurriness or no symptoms at all. Wet AMD causes more severe blurriness, waviness, or vision loss.
What are signs that AMD is progressing?
As AMD gets worse, you might notice more blurriness or wavy vision, especially near the center of your vision. You can keep track of vision changes with an Amsler grid.
What aggravates AMD?
If you have AMD, you can slow vision loss by quitting smoking, getting regular exercise, controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Is dry eyes one of the symptoms of wet AMD?
Dry eyes aren't a typical symptom of wet AMD.
