Macular Degeneration: Screening & Diagnosis
Written By: BrightFocus Editorial Staff
Written By: BrightFocus Editorial Staff
If you notice a change in your central vision, you should have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist. This type of doctor specializes in the:
To help diagnose macular degeneration, an ophthalmologist or optometrist will perform a comprehensive eye exam that may include the following tests:
Eye care professionals use autofluorescence photos to study the retina and measure the progression of geographic atrophy in patients with advanced, dry AMD.
Doctors can use this technique to monitor the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), the deepest layer of the retina:
To view the back of your retina, the doctor dilates the pupils with eye drops. Dilation allows the doctor to study the retina for signs of disease and to determine if there is optic nerve damage.
After dilating the pupil, the doctor aims a bright beam of light into the eye to check for problems in these parts of the eye:
This test measures your sight from various distances.
After dilating the pupil, the doctor focuses light through the cornea, pupil, and lens. He or she uses a customized camera to photograph the back of the eye to look for signs of disease in the:
Fundus photography helps the doctor measure changes between visits.
If your doctor suspects that you may have the wet type of AMD, he or she may conduct this test to detect leaking blood vessels. The doctor injects fluorescent dye into your arm and traces it through the blood vessels in the retina, where the appearance of fluorescent patches can reveal leakage.
OCT is a noninvasive technique to image the retina. OCT produces cross-sectional images of the retina so that the different layers and their thicknesses can be measured. When your doctor suspects advanced dry AMD, this technique can identify regions of the retina that are thinning, indicating the presence of geographic atrophy. Doctors also routinely use this test to assess the retina’s response to various treatments.
This test measures the pressure inside the eye. Your doctor will give you a numbing eye drop before this test.
Amsler Grid
The Amsler grid can help detect early signs of retinal disease and also monitor changes in vision after an AMD diagnosis. During an eye exam, the eye care professional may ask you to look at an Amsler grid to check for AMD:
ForeseeHome Monitoring Device
The ForeseeHome Monitor® is the first FDA-cleared device for patients with dry AMD to monitor the disease at home. It is now a Medicare-covered service for patients enrolled in Medicare across the U.S., and who meet the eligibility criteria for dry AMD at high risk for converting to wet AMD. The device is designed to be used daily and takes approximately 3 minutes per eye. When used daily, the ForeseeHome Monitor detects changes before a patient would notice, and allows the doctor to monitor the vision for any changes that take place between regularly scheduled exams.
BrightFocus Foundation is a premier global nonprofit funder of research to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Through its flagship research programs — Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Macular Degeneration Research, and National Glaucoma Research— the Foundation has awarded nearly $300 million in groundbreaking research funding over the past 51 years and shares the latest research findings, expert information, and resources to empower the millions impacted by these devastating diseases. Learn more at brightfocus.org.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is a public service of BrightFocus Foundation and is not intended to constitute medical advice. Please consult your physician for personalized medical, dietary, and/or exercise advice. Any medications or supplements should only be taken under medical supervision. BrightFocus Foundation does not endorse any medical products or therapies.