3 Warning Signs of Macular Degeneration

2. Straight lines appear wavy

​Imagine looking at lines of text on a page that appear bent or curved. Or maybe it’s the window blinds, bathroom tiles or bookshelves that look that way. When lines that should be straight aren’t, you may have AMD.

3. Blank areas in your central vision

Often, the earliest changes associated with AMD are tiny blind spots in your central vision — as opposed to your peripheral vision — that can slowly enlarge and multiply over time, says Andreoli. “Eventually, these tiny blind spots start to blend together, leading to central vision loss.” And although you may retain some peripheral vision, it’s difficult to read and recognize other people’s faces.​

How to treat AMD

In the absence of a cure for AMD, “multiple pharmaceutical companies are actively pursuing new and innovative treatments for dry and wet AMD,” says Andreoli. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two new treatments for dry AMD in 2023, though Andreoli says they may not be right for everyone. “You should talk to your eye doctor about whether the new treatments make sense for you.”

There are other ways to prevent the disease from progressing. That’s why the American Optometric Association recommends annual eye exams for people over 60. During the exam your doctor will look at the macula for what’s known as drusen, yellow deposits of fats and proteins. Some small drusen are to be expected with age and don’t cause vision loss. But medium-sized or larger ones are a classic sign of AMD. “Regular visits with an ophthalmologist can detect AMD years before patients notice anything is wrong,” says Andreoli. “Early detection of changes can lead to treatments that can slow progression or reverse vision loss in some cases of AMD.”

Vitamins to treat age-related macular degeneration

​Research shows that taking certain high-dose vitamins and minerals — specifically, vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin and copper — slows progression of the disease in people with intermediate AMD and those with late-stage AMD in one eye. But that’s not to say you should load up on these vitamins and minerals willy-nilly. Supplements known as AREDS2 are sold over the counter in specific quantities. Talk with your eye doctor before taking such high-dose supplements.

“Wet AMD is treated with the same AREDS2 vitamins as dry AMD, but also with injections of medications into the eye to treat the leaking blood vessels,” says Andreoli. These medications help reduce the number of abnormal blood vessels in your retina. They also slow leakage. “Currently, these treatments are focused on stopping progression of disease, but good treatments that reverse damage are still in the works,” she says.

Prevention strategies

Lifestyle also plays a part in treating AMD, adds Sodhi. “Reducing exposure to sunlight by wearing sunglasses, avoiding cigarette smoke, eating a healthy diet and getting annual eye exams can help lower the risk that a patient develops vision loss from AMD as they get older,” he says. 

Editor's note: This story, originally published Oct. 27, 2022, has been updated to reflect new information.