Opening Hours Monday: 09:00 - 17:30
Tuesday: 09:00 - 17:30
Wednesday: 09:00 - 13:00
Thursday: 09:00 - 17:30
Friday: 09:00 - 17:30
Saturday: 09:00 - 13:00
Sunday: Closed
121 Addington Road, Selsdon, South Croydon, CR2 8LH

020 8657 2000

[email protected]

Macular Degeneration (MD)

Macular Degeneration (MD)

Macular Degeneration occurs when the macula at the back of the eye becomes damaged. This can make it harder to see fine detail, such as recognising faces, reading or to watch television.
However, this does not normally affect your ability to walk around as your peripheral (side) vision should is not affected.

One of the most common symptoms of MD is noticing that straight lines appear wavy or that there are patches missing from your vision.

Does it happen more as you get older?

The most common forms of MD happen more as you get older and are known as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Around one in 10 people aged 65 or over show some signs of AMD.

What are the symptoms of AMD?
  • Some people simply notice that things appear blurry or they have difficulty reading with their normal reading glasses,
  • Other people notice that they have a smudge in their central vision which does not go away,
  • Notice that straight lines are distorted or wavy,
  • Sensitivity to bright light, and find it difficult to adapt when going from a dark to a light environment,
  • Find that colours fade.

The symptoms listed above are more noticeable if you look for them with each eye separately, because if you have both eyes open the better eye will compensate for the affected one.

We recommend you check each eye separately on a regular basis by looking at some detail, such as a book or magazine and covering each eye in turn.

AMD can be classified as early or late. Early AMD is always called ‘Dry AMD’. This is when yellow deposits build up on the macula. Most people with early AMD have near normal vision.

A minority of people with early AMD can progress to late AMD. Late AMD can be ‘wet’ or ‘dry’

The most common form of late AMD is the ‘wet’ form. It is usually associated with you noticing distorted vision (straight lines become wavy, or you have a blank spot or smudge in the centre of your vision). You can check this yourself by using the chart below.

Here’s how to use the graph below:

  • Wear your reading glasses, if you normally use them and sit about 14 inches away from the screen.
  • Cover the left eye.
  • With the right eye, focus on the dark dot in the center of the grid.
  • While looking at this dot, you still should be aware of the lines of the grid. Notice if any of the lines are distorted or broken or if there are blurred areas.
  • Now, cover the right eye and repeat the test.
  • If you notice any blurred, wavy, or missing lines, contact us as soon as possible.

Can I do anything to protect myself from getting AMD?

Smoking is known as a major risk factor for developing AMD so if you smoke, try to stop. It is also believed that having a diet that is rich in coloured fruit and vegetables (for example, kale, spinach, celery, and broccoli) may your rick of developing AMD. A link has also been found between obesity and AMD so you should try to maintain a healthy weight.

Other factors that increase your risk of developing AMD include having a family history of the condition. It is slightly more common in women than men.

It is possible that exposure to ultraviolet light may be linked to AMD so we recommend that you wear UV-absorbing glasses when you are going to be outside for long periods.

The exact cause for AMD is not yet known, so you may develop it even if you don’t have any of these risk factors, so it is very important to have your eyes tested on a regular basis. Click here to book now.

We can provide many preservative free eye supplements that have been especially formulated to assist you in ensuring that your eyes have the correct nutritional intake to maintain healthy eyes and vision, particularly as you get older and/or you smoke.

If you notice any changes to your vision it is important to act quickly. Rapid treatment could save your sight.

121 Addington Road, Selsdon, South Croydon, CR2 8LH

> Google Maps


020 8657 2000


Monday: 09:00 - 17:30
Tuesday: 09:00 - 17:30
Wednesday: 09:00 - 13:00
Thursday: 09:00 - 17:30
Friday: 09:00 - 17:30
Saturday: 09:00 - 13:00
Sunday: Closed