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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffTo check for macular degeneration, a dilated eye exam is necessary. Make an appointment with a doctor who specializes in eye care — an optometrist or an ophthalmologist — who can evaluate your condition and perform a complete eye exam.
What you can do
Appointments can be brief. Make the best use of that limited time by preparing beforehand.
- Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance.
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to your vision problem. For example, it's important to tell your doctor if you've been seeing things you can't explain, particularly shapes, patterns or faces. If you have macular degeneration, such visions are related to macular cell damage and are not, as you may fear, the result of mental illness.
- Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Ask a family member or friend to accompany you, if possible. Having your pupils dilated for the eye exam will affect your vision for a time afterward. You may need someone else to drive or accompany you after your appointment.
Questions to ask your eye doctor
- What kind of macular degeneration do I have?
- What is the visual acuity in my central vision?
- How advanced is my macular degeneration?
- Will I experience further vision loss?
- Will taking a vitamin or mineral supplement help prevent further vision loss?
- What's the best way to monitor my vision for any changes?
- What low vision aids or adaptive devices might be helpful to me?
Questions your eye doctor may ask
- When did you first notice your vision problem?
- Does the condition affect one or both eyes?
- Do you have trouble seeing things near you, at a distance or both?
