Facts About Your Dry Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is an eye disorder that is experienced often by all people who are over the age of 50.  This disease falls into two categories:  dry and wet macular degeneration.  Most cases of macular degeneration are the dry type and do not involve the leakage of blood or serum.  Loss of some central vision can occur but usually consists primarily of fluctuating vision and limited night vision. 

Dry macular degeneration is characterized by deterioration of the retina caused by small, yellow deposits under the macula called drusen.  As a consequence, the macula tends to become thin and dry.   The more retinal thinning there is, the more likely that central vision loss will be substantial.  
In the early stages of the disease, there is little visual impairment and the drusen tend to be large, with abnormal pigments in the macula.  Small drusen are almost always found in one or both eyes of individuals over the age of 50.  If the drusen are large, the person is at risk for late age-related macular degeneration.  Dry macular degeneration usually progresses slowly but can turn into wet macular degeneration with the passage of time. 

While there is no cure for dry macular degeneration, there are ways to manage the disease.

•    Monitor your vision daily and report changes immediately to your doctor
•    Take essential vitamins such as zinc and lutein
•    Take antioxidants
•    Eat leafy, green vegetables such as spinach and kale regularly
•    Always wear sunglasses with UV protection
•    Don’t smoke
•    Get regular exercise
•    Use a halogen light rather than a standard light bulb
•    Use a magnifying glass for small print
•    Read large-print books

Call you doctor if you think you might have macular degeneration and experience the following symptoms:


•    Needing bright light when doing close work
•    Difficulty seeing in low light level areas
•    Blurriness when reading words
•    Colors seeming less bright
•    Difficulty seeing facial features
•    Haziness in overall vision
•    Blind spots in visual Field


If you are diagnosed with dry macular degeneration, there are resources you can turn to.  The AMD Alliance International can be accessed on their website at www.amdalliance.org or by phone at 1 (877) AMD 7171.  You will find information about the disease and other resources that you may be able to use in the management of your disease.  Don’t isolate yourself from others because there is help available for you.