# Macular degeneration: early signs, risk factors and treatment

> Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) damages the macula, the centre of the retina that gives sharp, detailed vision. Early signs are blurred central vision, straight lines that look wavy, needing brighter light to read and trouble recognising faces. Side vision is not affected. It mostly affects people over 50, and the wet type needs treatment quickly.

Source: https://seebetter.co.za/blog/macular-degeneration-early-signs/
Publisher: See Better (https://seebetter.co.za/)
Section: Eye conditions
Published: 2026-10-11
Last updated: 2026-10-11

## Key points

- AMD affects central vision. It does not cause total blindness.
- Dry AMD is common and slow. Wet AMD is less common, faster and treatable.
- Straight lines that suddenly look wavy or bent need attention within days.
- Not smoking is the most important thing you can do to lower your risk.

## What the macula does

The retina lines the back of the eye, and at its centre is a spot about 5 mm across called the macula. It is packed with the light-sensitive cells that give sharp, detailed, colour vision. You use it to read, recognise faces, thread a needle and see road signs. The rest of the retina provides side vision, which is good at detecting movement and shapes but not fine detail.

In age-related macular degeneration, the macula gradually wears out. Central vision is affected and side vision is left alone. People with advanced AMD can usually still move around a room, but they struggle to read, drive and see faces.

## Dry and wet AMD

| | Dry AMD | Wet AMD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How common | The great majority of cases | The minority, but responsible for most severe sight loss |
| What happens | The cells of the macula slowly thin and break down | Abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula and leak |
| Speed | Slow, over years | Fast, over days to weeks |
| Treatment | Monitoring, lifestyle changes and, for some, supplements | Injections that stop the leaking |

Dry AMD can turn into wet AMD at any stage, which is why people with dry AMD are asked to check their own vision regularly.

## Early signs

Early AMD often causes no symptoms. It is picked up in an eye test as small yellow deposits, called drusen, under the retina. As it progresses, you may notice:

- blurred or fuzzy central vision
- straight lines that look wavy or bent, such as door frames, tiles and lines of text
- a grey, dark or blank patch in the centre of your view
- needing much brighter light to read
- difficulty recognising faces
- colours that look duller
- taking longer to adjust when you go from bright light into a dim room

AMD is painless and can affect one eye well before the other. The good eye covers for the weaker one, so changes are easily missed unless you test each eye separately.

## Who is at risk

- **Age.** AMD is uncommon before 50 and becomes steadily more common after 60.
- **Smoking.** This is the biggest risk you can change. Smokers are several times more likely to develop AMD.
- **Family history.**
- **High blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.**
- **Being overweight and inactive.**
- **A diet low in vegetables, fruit and fish.**
- **Lighter skin and eye colour.** AMD is more common in people of European descent, but it occurs in all groups.

## Check your own vision at home

If you are over 50, and particularly if you have been told you have early AMD, check each eye separately once a week:

1. Wear your reading glasses.
2. Cover one eye.
3. Look at something with a grid of straight lines, such as bathroom tiles, a window frame, a crossword grid or a printed Amsler grid. Fix your gaze on the centre.
4. Check whether any lines look wavy, broken or blurred, or whether any patch is missing.
5. Repeat with the other eye.

> If straight lines suddenly look wavy or bent, or a new dark patch appears in the centre of your vision, see an ophthalmologist within days. Do not wait for your next routine appointment. Wet AMD responds best to treatment when it is caught early.

## How AMD is treated

**Wet AMD** is treated by an ophthalmologist with injections of medicine into the eye. The medicine blocks the signal that makes the abnormal vessels grow and leak. The eye is numbed first, and the injections are repeated at intervals. For most people they stop further loss of sight, and for some they improve vision. Speed matters, because leaking vessels cause scarring that cannot be reversed.

**Dry AMD** has no cure for most people. The focus is on slowing it down and making the most of the vision you have:

- Stop smoking.
- Eat leafy greens, colourful vegetables and oily fish. See [the best foods for eye health](https://seebetter.co.za/blog/best-foods-for-eye-health/).
- Control your blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Wear sunglasses with UV protection outdoors.
- For intermediate AMD, an ophthalmologist may recommend a specific vitamin and mineral supplement, known as the AREDS2 formula, which has been shown to slow progression. It is not useful for everyone, so ask before you buy.
- Use good lighting, magnifiers, large-print settings and screen readers. Low-vision aids make a real difference.

## How an eye test helps

An optometrist can see the early changes of AMD at the back of your eye long before you notice anything. A regular test also keeps your glasses up to date, so that you are using all the sight you have. If there are signs of AMD, you are referred to an ophthalmologist for scans and treatment.

After 60, have an eye test every year. See Better tests eyes at home across Gauteng for R450, which is helpful for older family members who no longer drive. See [eye tests for elderly parents at home](https://seebetter.co.za/blog/eye-tests-for-elderly-at-home/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the first sign of macular degeneration?

Often there is none, and it is found in an eye test. The first symptoms people notice are usually slightly blurred central vision, needing more light to read, or straight lines that look wavy.

### Does macular degeneration lead to blindness?

It can cause severe loss of central vision, which makes reading, driving and recognising faces difficult. It does not affect side vision, so it does not cause total blindness.

### Can macular degeneration be cured?

There is no cure. Wet AMD can be controlled with injections that stop it getting worse. Dry AMD is managed with lifestyle changes, monitoring and, for some people, supplements.

### What is the difference between a cataract and macular degeneration?

A cataract is a clouding of the lens at the front of the eye and is cured by surgery. Macular degeneration is damage to the retina at the back of the eye and cannot be reversed. Both are common in older people, and one person can have both.

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