Test for Macular Degeneration

There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and dry. Early detection is key to treating either type, so regularly using a home test for macular degeneration is important for anyone over 60 years old.

Testing for macular degeneration

While wet macular degeneration, or macular degeneration that is caused by swelling and leaking of blood vessels in and behind the retina, is frequently a sudden-onset disorder, dry macular degeneration usually takes so long to develop that an individual does not notice the changes in his or her vision. Seeing blurry faces and perceiving straight lines as wavy are two symptoms of macular degeneration. A popular home test, available from doctors and online, is a simple grid with a dot in the middle. The person testing him or herself should look at the test and note how the dot and lines appear. Because macular degeneration affects vision in the center of the eye first, if the central dot is not visible, the person is probably developing dry macular degeneration. If the lines appear wavy, he or she is probably suffering from wet macular degeneration. Using a simple home test regularly is important because there is no cure for dry macular degeneration. When it is diagnosed early and treated, progression of the disease is preventable, but once it has reached its final stages, it is irreversible. Wet macular degeneration, on the other hand, is frequently treated with laser surgery or injections. Because wet macular degeneration progresses rapidly and can quickly lead to total blindness, it is important for individuals to monitor their eyes closely. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in Americans age 60 and over and, while the disease is not preventable, the ensuing blindness is.

Every person over the age of 60 should get a free macular degeneration test to keep at home either from his or her doctor or from the Internet.