In Loveland, CO, Kirk Eye Center has cared for Northern Colorado communities since 1991. John D. Kirk, MD, FACS, is a board-certified ophthalmologist with more than 25 years of experience with medical eye conditions, including macular degeneration. Emerald M. Carver, OD, also has experience managing macular degeneration.
What Happens With Dry Macular Degeneration?
Dry AMD begins with changes in the macula, including the buildup of yellow deposits called drusen. In its early stages, you might not notice much difference in your eyesight. As the condition progresses, central vision can become dimmer, blurrier, or distorted. Some people eventually develop blind spots near the center of their vision.
Symptoms typically develop over a longer period than they do with wet AMD. Dry AMD doesn’t currently have a cure, but regular eye exams can track changes, and certain steps may help slow its progression. For some people, AREDS2 vitamin supplements are recommended. Your eye doctor might also discuss habits that support your eye health and whether checking your vision at home with an Amsler grid makes sense for you.
How Is Wet Macular Degeneration Different?
Wet AMD develops when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina. These fragile vessels may leak fluid or blood, damaging the macula and causing central vision to decline more rapidly. Wet AMD can develop in an eye that already has dry AMD, so both forms can be present in the same eye.
Changes associated with wet AMD may progress over weeks or months, so a sudden shift in your central vision deserves prompt attention. Warning signs might include:
- Straight lines beginning to look bent or wavy
- A blurry or dark area in your central vision
- Increasing difficulty reading fine print
- Trouble recognizing faces
- Changes in how you see colors
Anti-VEGF injections are the most frequently used therapy for wet AMD at Kirk Eye Center. Photodynamic therapy or laser treatment can also be considered in select cases.
Why Does Knowing the Difference Matter?
Dry and wet AMD behave differently, so identifying a change from one form to the other can affect how quickly care needs to begin. Even before symptoms become obvious, a complete eye exam may reveal problems in the macula.
Regular monitoring is especially important once AMD has been diagnosed. If something suddenly looks distorted, blurred, or dark in the center of your vision, don’t wait for your next routine exam to mention it.
Protect Your Central Vision in Loveland, CO
Changes in your central vision deserve a closer look. Contact us to arrange an eye evaluation with Dr. John Kirk and the team at Kirk Eye Center in Loveland, CO, or call 970-669-1107.