Here are some questions for your eye specialist:

    •    Do you see drusen (deposits) in my eyes?
    •    Are they large or small drusen?
    •    Are they near the macula?
    •    How many drusen are there?

Drusen in your eyes don’t necessarily mean you have macular degeneration. You can have drusen for years without your vision being affected. And drusen far from the macula may not be a problem at all. But if you have these deposits there’s the risk you’ll develop AMD.

More than a few medium-sized macular drusen or one large one indicate dry macular degeneration. The cells of the retina can then wear thin, lose pigment or disappear.

Remember there are two types of macular degeneration, ‘dry’ and ‘wet’. They are not mutually exclusive. Dry macular degeneration can develop into wet. Less than 10% of people with macular drusen develop wet AMD. The wet form is far less common, but more severe in its effects.

In wet (neovascular) AMD, abnormal blood vessels develop beneath the retina. These leak fluid and bleed. Swelling and scarring causes distorted vision and ultimately blindness.
 
So these questions relate to signs of wet AMD:

    •    Does my retina look raised?
    •    Do you see any abnormal blood vessels?
    •    Is there any bleeding, or leaking fluid visible at the back of the retina?
    •    Can you see any other abnormality?

A further test for wet macular degeneration is called fluorescein angiography. The specialist injects dye into your arm, and photographs your eye as the dye enters the blood vessels behind it.