Diagnosis

Once diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration your eye health professional will advise you on the course of action to take, according to the stage of the disease.

You may be referred to an ophthalmologist for further examination, diagnosis and treatment or asked to visit your optometrist on a regular basis to monitor disease progress. It is essential to follow recommendations and undertake regular eye tests.

Once diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, it is important to remain calm and to hold off from making any changes to employment, activities, future plans or lifestyle. Instead, seek advice from all available sources and talk through the diagnosis with friends. Then take the time to calmly sort out the best pathway forward.

Many people experience different feelings of disbelief, apprehension and even depression. However what may seem an insurmountable difficulty for someone experiencing vision loss for the first time can become just another aspect of daily life with some slight adjustments to everyday activities.

A person with age-related macular degeneration should remain engaged with social and recreational networks, especially if recently diagnosed. This can be when networks are at greater risk of breaking down.

Report changes in vision immediately

Dry age-related macular degeneration can rapidly turn into wet age-related macular degeneration and result in permanent vision loss. It is vital that regular appointments are maintained with the eye health professional and that they are immediately notified of any changes to vision.