Macular degeneration usually develops gradually and painlessly. The signs and symptoms of the disease may vary, depending on which of the two types of macular degeneration you have.

With dry macular degeneration you may notice the following symptoms:

• The need for increasingly bright illumination when reading or doing close work
• Increasing difficulty adapting to low levels of illumination, such as when entering a dimly lit restaurant
• Increasing blurriness of printed words
• A decrease in the intensity or brightness of colors
• Difficulty recognizing faces
• Gradual increase in the haziness of your overall vision
• Blurred or blind spot in the center of your visual field combined with a profound drop in your central vision acuity

With wet macular degeneration, the following symptoms may appear, and they may progress rapidly:

• Visual distortions, such as straight lines appearing wavy or crooked, a doorway or street sign that seems out of alignment, or objects appearing smaller or farther away than they should
• A decrease in or loss of central vision
• Central blurry spot

In either form of macular degeneration, your vision may falter in one eye while the other remains fine for years. You may not notice any or much change because your good eye compensates for the weak one. Your vision and lifestyle begin to be dramatically affected when this condition develops in both eyes.

Additionally, some people with macular degeneration may experience visual hallucinations as their vision loss increases. These hallucinations are known as Charles Bonnet syndrome and may include unusual patterns, geometric figures, animals or even grotesque-appearing faces. Many people who develop these symptoms are afraid to discuss them with their doctors or friends and families for fear they'll be considered crazy. However, while these hallucinations may be frightening, they're not a sign of mental illness.