Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Age-Related Macular Degeneration - Home Treatment
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
People with either type of
age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in one or both
eyes should check the vision in each eye using an
Amsler grid 
every day or as often as the doctor recommends. If any of the lines
on the grid change or begin to appear wavy and curved, or if you notice that
your vision is getting worse, call your doctor. If wet AMD has started to
develop or is progressing, early treatment may be able to delay further loss of
your
central vision.
Living with reduced vision
Reduced vision or vision loss from AMD can affect your life in many ways. How much it will affect you depends on your lifestyle and on how bad your vision loss is. Work with your doctor to find ways to make the best use of your remaining vision. There are things that you can do to adjust and keep your quality of life as much as possible:
- Use vision aids, such as magnifying devices and special appliances designed for people who have limited vision.
- Rely on your support network of friends and family to help you.
- Seek counseling and training to help you cope with your reduced vision.
- Talk with your doctor about starting a self-management program, including health education and problem-solving skills related to living with vision loss. One study suggested that such programs may improve well-being and quality of life in older people who have AMD.7
Emotional impact of AMD
Because AMD can lead to a significant loss of vision and, in most cases, because there is no effective treatment, finding out that you have AMD can be very difficult. You may feel angry if treatment cannot help you or feel anxious that loss of vision from AMD will make you less able to function on your own.
Although it is normal to feel unhappy about these changes, if your feelings of sadness are severe or do not improve, you may develop depression, which requires treatment. If you need help in dealing with your feelings about AMD, talk to your doctor and to your family and friends. Your doctor can also refer you to a counselor who specializes in helping people adjust to living with limited vision.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: September 8, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Christopher J. Rudnisky - Ophthalmology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:
- Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
- Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
- Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.
The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.
How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?
Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.
How do I save content to my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.
How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.
How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.
To manage your Care Circle, Please
Sign In.
