Symptoms of Wet Macular Degeneration
All the articles I have read indicate if you do not see perfect squares in the Amsler Grid go to the ophthalmologist ASAP as it could mean wet AMD. Well that's what I did just before the pandemic lockdown! The squiggley squares in the AMD was because of the vitreous pulling on the macula. 11 months later the doctor said I also had wet AMD and he started Avastin shots. The vitreous had gently detached from the macula. I then recalled 4 to 6 weeks prior to the diagnosis towards the end of my usual 1 hr brisk walk I would see a circular flicker around 1 inch in diameter in the right centre part of my eye. In the dark of the home it was quite distinct but would die down in 5 mins after the walk. Because it died down I did not think it important. I am speculating the walk increased blood circulation and leakage in the macula, enough for me to see it. If so this should be listed as a symptom in AMD.
I am glad you shared your story with the community. The Amsler grid is a useful tool to help monitor for changes in vision. I have intermediate dry macular degeneration in my right eye. When I look at the grid the lines are a mess, all wavy and blurry in the center. The important thing is that it looks the same each time I check. If I ever note a change I would call my retinal specialist ASAP. Under certain lighting, I can clearly see a dark blob in the center of my vision. Your experience of progression to wet and whether the walk and increased circulation is interesting. Did you discuss it with your doctor? Best wishes, Sharon Moore Advocate
yes I did bring it up w the dr. ....no reaction specifically to the flickering....appears dr. relies heavily on OCT results...July 2020 and prior showed no AMD...and in Jan 2020 OCT showed leaking right in the center of the macula. He said the eye is multifaceted and difficult for the patient to detect what is going on when there is more than one problem ie in my case vitreous pulling on macula and AMD together.
It makes sense that when you have multiple eye problems it can be hard to figure out what is going on. When my blurring got worse I thought it was from macular degeneration but after seeing the doctor it was determined I have dry eye syndrome. The conditions are unrelated but have similar symptoms. Sharon .Moore Advocate
I found out that I had posterior vitreous detachment at my last specialist's visit. Evidently it is now in both eyes, although she didn't mention it when it happened in the first eye. I had, and sometimes do have, arc-type flashes at the edge of my vision in both eyes, only in the dark. She was interested in this, but not worried. Like Sharon, I have intermediate dry macular degeneration in one eye (I have early/intermediate in the other eye). I see squiggly lines and some slightly blurred patches on the Amsler Grid in my worst eye. So, from my experience, the squiggly lines don't necessarily mean wet amd. Also, as Sharon said, it is important to look out for changes. I was encouraged to circle the problem areas on a spare Amsler Grid so as to recognize further changes. Best wishes, Wendy, Advocate.
I indicated there was a circular flickr.....a better description would be a circular design that was not static ...like one of those laser shows ...
I did some research and found an article that describes the flashes you see. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14209-floaters--flashers
It may not pertain to your condition but might help you have a conversation with your doctor. Sharon Moore Advocate
