Do I have macular degeneration

[Kitcat95]

Hi everyone

I’m 24, my symptoms include:

Straight lines appear wavy

Static in vision

Light sensitivity

After images

Bad night vision

Also works jump around on a page

White flashing light in central vision in the day and at night I have a black central shadow which pulsates and looks like a squiggly spider type shape it’s only in the dark and it is in both eyes.

Would you say this is the start of macular degeneration?

I’ve had eye exams 3/4 times and mentioned this and they’ve all came back clear but this was over a year ago my last one.

Any help would be appreciated as super worried I’m going to lose my sight

I’ve tried to Amsler Grid I think I might see on line disappear potentially but it’s unclear

[Kitcat95]

Also I have loads of floaters!

[springcross]

Hi Kitcat95. No-one can tell you if you have macular degeneration except for an expert. If you have an eye hospital near to where you live, I would go to the Emergency Department there and explain what is wrong and ask if you could see someone or, you could make an appointment to see your GP and ask to be referred to the eye hospital. Failing that, you could make an appointment with your optician for an eye test and explain what you are experiencing. To be honest though, although you are very young to have macular degeneration, I think maybe you should go to the Emergency Department at your nearest eye hospital and ask to be seen there. All the best and please let us know how you get on. xx

[Kitcat95 in reply to springcross]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I’ve been to the doctors and they just said I had visual migraine they don’t understand or refer me. I’ve had multiple eye tests since having these symptoms but nothing can be found. This is why I’m confused. If I had macular degeneration would they always find it on a eye exam? Because the last two have taken photos of my the back of my eye and I’ve seen them and no Drusen which I see on google images when I google macular degeneration.

[BLW95 in reply to Kitcat95]

Hi Kitcat95,

You are probably okay then. I am 24 and have macular degeneration. They found it when I went in complaining of floaters. They dilated my pupils to check my retina was okay and spotted missing pigment at the back of my eye and took pictures and it was confirmed.

It wasn’t until my second appointment complaining about floaters that they found the MD but it potentially wasn’t there the first time - mine has been fast progressing and at the time of diagnosis I had no idea and then six weeks later I lost central vision.

For me it was quite easy to spot - pictures confirmed it and now during eye tests I can’t read out of the affected eye, so please don’t worry, you are likely okay. But keep an eye out for any more changes and go straight back to the opticians if you have any changes. Ask to be referred for your symptoms anyway just to double check with an eye specialist or at the very least, perhaps go to another opticians for a second opinion. You can never be too careful with eyesight. From my own experience I’ve found it beneficial to go to the optician with any problems with my eyes rather than the GP as they just dismissed me. Last year my GP dismissed me with an eye infection saying it would get better on its own, but when it didn’t I went to the opticians and they found I had an eye ulcer and needed emergency treatment. This isn’t to scare you but just to advise that you should perhaps go to the optician again, a different optician or an eye specialist rather than the GP.

Like I say, you are likely fine but it is better to double check if only for your peace of mind. MD at our age is extremely rare, so keep your chin up!!

[BLW95 in reply to BLW95]

Also just to add - please don’t google!!

I am the WORST for it but it does nothing other than make me extremely anxious.

Like Springcross advises, either go to A&E or at the very least get a second opinion from a different optician.

Please don’t get yourself worked up either. I am 24 and although I have bits of missing central vision, I can still see out of it, I have one good eye too which gets 20/20 vision with lenses, and I still work, drive and do whatever I like. So although scary and although Google tells you all sorts, you can be okay with MD anyway. I am.

Let us know what happens at any other appointments.xx

[Kitcat95 in reply to BLW95]

Hello, thanks for your reply. That’s sad you have it at such a young age. I haven’t noticed my central vision blurry but there’s always a flashing white light there if I concentrate on it and the black dot in the dark is bad. Did you have these symptoms? Also I have a disease called vestibular neuritis which affects your balance organ of your ear and my right ear vestibular is completely damaged therefore this can be the reason words jump on a page and why I see wavy lines. But the thing at night scares me the most I have seen some other posts on this site who have the same thing and they seem to all have amd so I’m just putting two and two together

[BLW95 in reply to Kitcat95]

I had flashing lights a while ago but that was actually just down to floaters but I hadn’t had it before so I went to the opticians and they diagnosed it. When they got worse and I got like streaks of flashing lights I went back in, but again, still just my floaters. It’s important to check these things because they need to check your retina is okay. Have you had floaters before? When you told your optician about the flashes did they dilate your pupils? That’s how they have checked my retina a few times now. They would be able to see your macular with a dilation too. Are you in the UK? I’m with Boots opticians and they are great. They get me in for emergency appointments really quickly whenever I say there is an unusual change and they spotted the issues I have. If you’re in the UK it may be worth contacting them

But I think you should go to see an eye specialist just to be sure. I can tell you’re really panicked about it so it is worth going. But also remember that even if there is something wrong with your eyes, it isn’t necessarily MD; there are a whole lot of things and many that are curable and treatable, and MD can be slowed, or stabilised depending on type. so as someone said to me whilst I was waiting for diagnosis, don’t be sad or worried until you know for definite, because it may be pointless if you’re completely fine! So please don’t jump to conclusions and look after yourself ❤️ When you go, make sure you tell them about your other condition with your ears and take someone with you so that if you need reassurance of what the specialist did or didn’t say, then you can ask them.

I was very lucky and managed to get an appointment at a clinic within a week, but I think this largely depends on your area and how busy it is. Push for a referral and insist something doesn’t seem right. If there is a long wait, like the others say, there is the A&E department. Hope you’re okay x

[Kitcat95 in reply to BLW95]

Hey

They dilated my pupils in November 2018 that’s the last time I went and they said that Everything was fine and that the pictures were fine too. They even showed my my picture and it looked ok. The only thing I kept failing was the visual perception test which tests your peripherals but I kept clicking the button too many times as I actually see flashes so often I thought these were part of the test. Back then they said all

Fine but I’ve not been worried until now as it’s got worse the last few weeks.

[BLW95 in reply to Kitcat95]

I would definitely ask for another dilation then. Any optician should provide one as soon as you mention flashing lights. If they won’t, go to A&E or to another optician as soon as possible. Flashing lights should always be monitored, especially if they have gotten worse or you have other symptoms too.

They should do more pictures for you too. I see in the comments below that you have an appointment next Thursday, let us know how you get on and try not to worry until then. You’ll just make yourself ill with stress. Think positive xx

[horseaddict]

Most of us on here..a lot older than you though..come up agai st brick walls when it comes to getting answers from the opticians....they just dont get how devastating eye sight loss will be..get yourself referred to an eye hospital asap or go to A AND E...the eyes are specialist so needs eye specialist not necessary a GP. You are very young and hopefully it's not Amd..but you need peace of mind as like I say..its devastating for us with it to be waiting for blindness.especially as there is no treatment or cure for it. Toddler off to a specialist and good luck.let is know how you get on.

[Kitcat95 in reply to horseaddict]

Hi I have booked an appointment to see an optician a week today we that’s the best slot they have available. Will hopefully get answers then

[horseaddict in reply to Kitcat95]

Good luck and hopefully you will be reassured and come out at peace with yourself.xxx

[Becky_MacularSociety Partner]

Good Morning Kitcat95,

Has it been over a year since you've had your eyes last seen to? If so it would be advisable to go to an opticians and have your eyes looked at again, explaining to them all the symptoms you are experiencing and any concerns if your vision has deteriorated since your last eye exam.

If the eye exam at the opticians doesn't show anything and you're still concerned, it would be best to ask for a referral to an eye clinic from your GP. They should do this if you request it. However sometimes these referrals can take a while to come through so an alternative option would be to attend A&E or contact your local eye clinic at the hospital to check their opening times and going in as a walk-in, be prepared to wait a long time to be seen, but you will be seen.

Hope this helps,

Becky

Macular Society

Advice and Information

0300 3030 111

[e-mail]

[Kitcat95 in reply to Becky_MacularSociety]

Hello

Thanks for this. This is really helpful!

I have booked an appointment with my optician and I will see them Thursday next week for an eye exam and I will explain everything to them.

Thanks

[Hidden]

Ring the macular society helpline, they can advise you how best to get referred ( and what the proper guidelines are if you need to quote them to an optician or gp!).

I would say seeing wavy lines and flashing light is not 'normal' and therefore you need a proper explanation. I would go to a&e, the worst they can do is turn you away, but there should be an on call eye specialist who you may get to look at you or they may give you the referral to the eye clinic.

Don't let things drag on. Good luck going forward x

[Kitcat95 in reply to Hidden]

Hi had a brain scan April last year all clear two eye exams all clear so I’m going to go back again and see if anything has changed on Thursday

[Hrosie]

See a professional Optician or Opthalmologist for a diagnosis.

[Kitcat95]

Thanks everyone you have been helpful I have booked an eye test for next week on Thursday with a local opticians, il see what they say about it and if they want to dilate my pupils or see me again

[bettyrt46]

I have had this problem since I had my eyes corrected in 2013...stigmatism, cataracts, and lens implants. now I can't see correctly since then and have this macular degeneration. Both eyes.. The Wilmer Eye Inst. told me that my eyes were too weak for the surgery...and now I can't read in my right eye...and have center vision lost. floaters removed from right eye still have them in left eye and afraid to have anything done to left eye since that is the eye I still can see clearly with...also night vision can't see or judge distance at night with eyes..since 2012. Very sad over the outcome

[Hidden in reply to bettyrt46]

Sending you a hug bettyrt46 X I'm very sorry this has happened to you. I hope you have good support from your eye drs. and others around you. The macular society in UK offer a great support service ( I recently saw them reply to a post here with links to sites in the USA too).

Do you have any avenue for redress from whoever did the " correction" in 2013?