Category: Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

These are questions that we are frequently asked.

If it is ready to read and to print, you’ll see it underlined, in color, or both. Choose it and you’ll go to the page. If it is NOT underlined, in color, or both, it is NOT available here yet.

 

  • Are there other forms of macular degeneration than AMD?
  • What is Myopic Macular Degeneration?
  • Are there other retinal and macular disorders I might have?
  • Having AMD increases risk to my kids. What do I tell them to do?
Dry AMD
Wet AMD
  • I have dry AMD. What is wet AMD?  You can listen to this page now.
  • Can I have wet in one eye but not the other? Can I have one eye wet and one eye dry? I am so confused!
  • Why are there injections for wet AMD? What do they do and how?
  • I have wet AMD. Why does my doctor use one anti-VEGF injection not another?
  • When will we have an alternative to injections for wet AMD?

 

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If my vision changes, should I call my eye specialist?

QUESTION: If my vision changes, should I call my eye specialist?

ANSWER:
YES. Your doctor is the best judge of whether any changes are signs of worsening AMD. If it is a sign of wet AMD, the sooner the treatment begins, the better the prognosis.

It’s a common question. Here is a good answer: “What new symptoms should prompt a call to your eye doctor?

“Your doctor will ask you to check your vision at home to help detect any new onset of wet AMD. You should do this by covering one eye at a time (the “good” eye will compensate so you might not notice any change in the diseased eye) and looking at some reading material or a graph like an Amsler grid every few days. If you notice a change like blurry, wavy, or missing lines or letters, give your eye doctor a call. There may be additional concerning symptoms that your doctor will tell you about, depending on your situation.”

What’s an Amsler Grid?

It’s a page with horizontal and vertical lines (a grid) that you use to monitor your vision. The article ‘How to Use an Amsler Grid’ describes it with words and a video. There’s a link to print one or many for yourself. Some people print multiple ones so they mark what they see on any day and have it to compare.

Other Ways to Monitor Your Vision

The article ‘Monitoring the Progression of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration’ says, “The ForeseeHome Monitor® from Notal Vision® is the first FDA-cleared device for patients with dry AMD to monitor the disease at home. It is now a Medicare-covered service for patients enrolled in Medicare across the U.S., and who meet the eligibility criteria for dry AMD at high risk for converting to wet AMD. ”

 

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Will I Go Blind?

QUESTION: “Will I go blind?” is one of the most common and emotionally-charged questions asked when a person gets a diagnosis of any macular disease such as Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Stargardt’s Disease, Myopic Macular Degeneration (and others) that can damage central vision.

The short answer is no.

Having AMD or any form of macular degeneration affects one’s central vision, but peripheral vision is spared. More details below.

Central Vision Loss is NOT Inevitable!

You can find what the risk of having a vision impairment or vision loss: I have AMD. What’s my chance of having vision loss?

With early or intermediate dry AMD, the chance of progressing to a stage where vision loss can occur (wet or geographic atrophy) is 10-15%!

That means that MOST PEOPLE do NOT have vision loss.

Blind? Vision Impairment?

Many people use the word ‘blind’ to mean any vision loss, but we try NOT to use that word for macular degeneration. Instead, some people will have a visual impairment or become legally blind, but not everyone.

Terminology

This is just a partial list of terms.

    • Total blindness refers to an inability to see anything with either eye.
    • Legal blindness is a level of vision loss that has been legally defined to determine eligibility for benefits. The clinical diagnosis refers to a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the best possible correction, and/or a visual field of 20 degrees or less. Often, people who are diagnosed with legal blindness still have some usable vision.
    • Vision loss refers to individuals who have trouble seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses, as well as to individuals who are blind or unable to see at all.
    • Visual impairment is often defined clinically as a visual acuity of 20/70 or worse in the better eye with best correction, or a total field loss of 140 degrees. Additional factors influencing visual impairment might be contrast sensitivity, light sensitivity, glare sensitivity, and light/dark adaptation.

 

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