Regular Eye Exams
You may not realize that you have ARMD until you develop noticeable changes in your vision. Seeing a Specialist
A specialist (ophthalmologist) will use a device called an ophthalmoscope to examine your retina and macula. If the specialist suspects you have wet ARMD, she or he will use special equipment to scan your eye for abnormal blood vessels.
will first inject a special dye into a vein in your arm. When the dye reaches the blood vessels in the retina, it will highlight any vessels that are abnormal. The specialist can study the images of these blood vessels to determine if you have ARMD and work with you to develop a treatment plan.
While researchers are investigating a number of promising new treatments for wet ARMD, about three-quarters of cases of wet ARMD cannot be treated at this point. However, this does not mean that people with wet macular degeneration who won’t respond to available therapies will become blind.
They will not become blind, because they will still have their peripheral or “side” vision even if they lose their central vision. Fortunately, there are techniques people with untreatable wet ARMD can use to make the most of this vision and remain independent.
