Community Views: Macular Degeneration Progression

One of the hardest aspects of macular degeneration to manage is when the condition progresses. Changes and adjustments to everyday tasks need to be made, but they can feel scary and debilitating.

Progression affects everyone differently. But no matter where you are in your macular degeneration journey, there are others who share your experience.

What is macular degeneration progression?

The macular degeneration progression timeline is unique to everyone, and many factors have to be considered. The stages typically are early, intermediate, and late age-related macular degeneration. Progression can look like:¹

• Dry macular degeneration progressing to wet macular degeneration
• Central scotoma gets larger
• Colors become duller
• Straight lines become wavy
• Driving at night becomes difficult
• Reading becomes difficult
• And more

Because progression can look different for everyone, we took to Facebook and asked the community a few questions.

"What does progression look like for you?"

One community member shared, "Diminished eyesight on my right eye . . . meaning colors not so vibrant and when I turn out my bedroom light, if I close my left eye, it’s totally black for me. I keep a little nite lite plugged in so I can still see my path when getting up in the night. I have wet macular in my right eye diagnosed after I thought I just needed new glasses."

Another responded, "Blurred faces! No more night driving or highway driving for me. Gray cars on gray roads – the worst!"

Another said, "Dark circular area in the morning after awakening. It goes away by mid-morning. I take a lutein supplement daily, and it seems to be stabilized."

"If I could describe my progression in one word, it would be _______."

Three community members shared the responses:

• "Nerve-wracking."
• "Slow. I'm grateful."
• "Just a bump in the road of life!"

Forum discussion

On our Macular Degeneration Progression forum discussion board, various members shared their experiences with progression.

"For me – blurriness, colors fading, Amsler grid? forget it – lines like waves in the sea. floaters, flashes, the works." – Psolter, community member

"Right now the wet AMD is limited to the right eye with the dry version in the left being fairly stable. What's complicating my right eye is a cataract that came out of the blue and has made my sight more hazy. It's not bad enough yet to require removal but it's just one more thing to deal with. I'm also worried about when the left eye will go wet, which will neccessitate injections and more anxiety." – Rod1105, community member

How fast has your macular degeneration progressed? How has it made you feel? We will share your responses in articles to come.