What are the main signs and symptoms of macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is classified into one of three stages: early, intermediate, or late. Signs and symptoms vary according to stage.

Early stage: Plaque deposits known as drusen accumulate in the retina. Eyesight is typically unaffected.

Intermediate stage: Drusen grow larger in size. Blurring of central vision and difficulty seeing in low light may occur, but most people experience no noticeable symptoms.

Late/Advanced stage: Drusen grow even larger in size. At this stage most people experience visual symptoms such as blurred vision, loss of color perception, difficulty seeing in low light, and central blindness.

Additionally, the late stage is further classified as either dry (a.k.a. geographic atrophy) or wet/neovascular macular degeneration. Wet/neovascular macular degeneration differs from the dry form in that it features abnormal blood vessel growth in the back of the eye. This form is less common, but much more likely to result in blindness.^[1]