At-Home Testing for Macular Degeneration
Did you know that you can monitor your vision at home to detect early signs of retinal disease, such as macular degeneration? In addition to regular eye examinations, home monitoring has been proven to improve the detection of macular degeneration.
Amsler Grid
Traditionally, home monitoring is done with an Amsler grid, which looks like typical graph paper. To a normal eye, each of the lines on the graph should be sharp, in focus, and with no areas of distortion. If any areas of waviness, darkness, or blurriness develop, a patient should be examined by an ophthalmologist immediately.
What To Expect at the Eye Doctor
The goals of a typical visit to the ophthalmologist for macular degeneration are to confirm or refute the diagnosis, assess future risk, and provide any required treatments.
- The exam usually includes several components, such as:
- Taking your medical history
- The examination (including a series of tests)
- Computerized imaging
The entire process, including an exam with pupil dilation, imaging, and treatment, can take several hours.
Diagnosing Macular Degeneration
If you notice a change in your central vision, you should have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist. This type of doctor specializes in the medical and surgical care of the eyes and visual system and the prevention of eye disease and injury.
During the early stages of macular degeneration, particularly if only one eye is affected, you may not have symptoms. Macular degeneration also causes no pain that might suggest that something is wrong. An eye doctor may be able to detect early signs of the disease before symptoms appear. Therefore, it is critical to have regular eye examinations to detect these signs as soon as possible.
Macular Degeneration Treatments
If you are diagnosed with macular degeneration, it’s important to see your eye doctor regularly to track how quickly the disease progresses and learn about different treatment options. Your doctor can also tell you how to control risk factors for the disease and demonstrate how to use the Amsler grid.
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