Topic Overview

Answers to the questions below help your doctor determine whether you might have a macular problem, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

• Have you found that you need more light to read than you have in the past?
• Is it getting harder to recognize people's faces until they are close up?
• Do bright colors appear dim or faded?
• Is there is a "blind" spot in the center of your vision? How long have you had the blind spot?
• Do straight lines look wavy? Do objects appear distorted or smaller than they used to?
• How quickly have these changes in your vision developed? Over several months or weeks? A few days? A few hours?
• Have changes affected just one eye or both?
• Do you smoke? (Smoking increases your risk of AMD.)
• Do you have high blood pressure?
• Has anyone else in your family had macular degeneration?
• Are you taking any medicines? Which ones? (Certain medicines can cause temporary vision problems.)