ARMD Symptoms

For those with early disease, there may be little in the way of symptoms, and the disease may only be recognised by your ophthalmologist (or optician) inspecting the retina as part of an ophthalmic examination. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms of central distortion (so-called metamorphopsia) and loss of central vision occur. It is very unusual for ARMD to affect the peripheral vision. Thus, even in end-stage disease, few patients end up with complete blindness, though they are severely incapacitated by loss of their central vision, resulting in them being unable to read, watch television or recognise faces without great difficulty.

The grid below is known as an Amsler Chart, and is often used by patients to check for any central distortion/ loss of vision. Below is a representation of what it might look like if you had wet macular degeneration with distortion.