This condition may affect one or both of the eyes. If only one eye is affected, the healthy eye may be able to compensate for the vision loss in its partner, and symptoms may be minimal or non-existent. However, in cases in which both eyes are affected, the Mayo Clinic outlines symptoms that may mean you have developed the condition and should schedule a visit with your doctor for testing:
- An increased need for higher levels of light when reading or working on something close to your face
- Difficulty with eyesight adjustment in low light levels, including dimly lit restaurants
- Increased difficulty reading printed words and blurriness of the words you’re trying to read
- Decreasing intensity or brightness of colors in the environment
- Increased difficulty recognizing faces
- Increased haziness in the center or our field of vision, crooked central vision or a blind spot in the center of our field of vision
- Patients with advanced cases have reported hallucinating geometric shapes and people
How Do Vitamins Help Lower My Risk?
Vitamin intake is not only a great way to help minimize your risk of developing macular degeneration (along with lifestyle changes that include regular exercise, smoking cessation and wearing regular eye protection against UV rays), but it is also the primary treatment prescribed to slow the progression of the disease once it has been diagnosed.