Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDriving With AMDEffects of AMD SymptomsVision Aids for DrivingAlternatives to Driving
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Driving With AMD
Effects of AMD Symptoms
Vision Aids for Driving
Alternatives to Driving
Whether you’ve been newly diagnosed withage-related macular degeneration(AMD) or have had the condition for a while, one pressing question you may have is how long it is safe to drive.
Macular degeneration damages yourcentral vision. As it progresses, it leaves blank or distorted areas of vision that can eventually threaten driving safety. You can continue to drive as usual early in the disease process. But over time, driving will become an issue.
Learn here when driving is safe and when it’s possibly not, how macular degeneration symptoms affect driving, vision aids that can help, and alternatives to driving.
Mónica E. Vázquez Alvarez / Getty Images
Driving With Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Any condition that can affect your vision has the potential to affect your driving.
Drive When It’s Safe
You want to be sure that if you drive after anAMD diagnosis, you are doing so responsibly. Keep in mind the following:
Driving With Dry vs. Wet AMD SymptomsThe two types of AMD are dry andwet. Which type you have will impact your ability to drive.With dry AMD, in which themacula(an area at the center of the light-sensitiveretina) thins and deteriorates, there may be no symptoms for some time or maybe some slightblurrinessas the condition progresses.At any point, however, dry AMD can morph into wet AMD, which occurs when abnormal blood vessels form in the eye. Late symptoms of either wet or dry AMD that can interfere with driving include:Straight lines appearing wavyBlurry central visionBlank spots in the visionMuted colorsDifficulty seeing in low light
Driving With Dry vs. Wet AMD Symptoms
The two types of AMD are dry andwet. Which type you have will impact your ability to drive.With dry AMD, in which themacula(an area at the center of the light-sensitiveretina) thins and deteriorates, there may be no symptoms for some time or maybe some slightblurrinessas the condition progresses.At any point, however, dry AMD can morph into wet AMD, which occurs when abnormal blood vessels form in the eye. Late symptoms of either wet or dry AMD that can interfere with driving include:Straight lines appearing wavyBlurry central visionBlank spots in the visionMuted colorsDifficulty seeing in low light
The two types of AMD are dry andwet. Which type you have will impact your ability to drive.
With dry AMD, in which themacula(an area at the center of the light-sensitiveretina) thins and deteriorates, there may be no symptoms for some time or maybe some slightblurrinessas the condition progresses.
At any point, however, dry AMD can morph into wet AMD, which occurs when abnormal blood vessels form in the eye. Late symptoms of either wet or dry AMD that can interfere with driving include:
When It’s Possibly Unsafe
Even if you have been a cautious driver for years, you may need to modify your driving or consider whether it is safe for you to be behind the wheel at all as AMD progresses.
Even early in the disease, you may want to modify driving at certain times of the day. For example, those with AMD may require more light to see well. It may not be safe to drive if the light is beginning to dim around dusk, at nighttime, or when the weather is bad, particularly in an unfamiliar or busy location.
Also, if your AMD has progressed to the point at which you haveseveral blind spots or distorted areas of visionthat would make it questionable to pass state regulations, it’s likely time to forgo driving.
Even if you are still eligible to drive, you may not want to do so if you feel that you’ve reached the point where you might put somebody, including yourself, in jeopardy.
How AMD Symptoms Affect Drivers
Unfortunately, asmacular degeneration progresses, visual symptoms that begin to advance and affect your ability to read and other aspects of your life may also start to infringe on your driving ability. Here are some of the ways your driving may be affected:
AMD Progression and DrivingIf you have the dry form of AMD, it may take years for you to notice any symptoms or for it to affect your driving. With wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels that leak onto the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye can quickly cause symptoms.While treatment can slow wet AMD progression, ultimately, as symptoms mount, it may be necessary to stop driving.
AMD Progression and Driving
If you have the dry form of AMD, it may take years for you to notice any symptoms or for it to affect your driving. With wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels that leak onto the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye can quickly cause symptoms.While treatment can slow wet AMD progression, ultimately, as symptoms mount, it may be necessary to stop driving.
If you have the dry form of AMD, it may take years for you to notice any symptoms or for it to affect your driving. With wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels that leak onto the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye can quickly cause symptoms.
While treatment can slow wet AMD progression, ultimately, as symptoms mount, it may be necessary to stop driving.
AMD Vision Aids to Use While Driving
In some cases, technology such asspecial glassescan help you manage AMD symptoms while driving. Examples of technology that may improve safety include the following:
But if this technology can no longer effectively compensate for your vision loss and it has become unsafe for you to drive, it is time for you to consider other ways to get where you need to go.
When to Consider Asking for Rides
Consider the following ways of getting around:
Summary
Contending with AMD means understanding that the condition may eventually interfere with driving. It’s important to watch your symptoms and understand your state’s driving regulations.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Highway Safety Administration.Driving when you have macular degeneration.Bright Focus Foundation.Driving and macular degeneration.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Wood JM, Black AA, Mallon K, Kwan AS, Owsley C.Effects of age-related macular degeneration on driving performance.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2018;59(1):273-279. doi:10.1167/iovs.17-22751Bright Focus.Specialty glasses for macular degeneration.International Academy of Low Vision Specialists.Can you drive with macular degeneration?
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Highway Safety Administration.Driving when you have macular degeneration.Bright Focus Foundation.Driving and macular degeneration.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Wood JM, Black AA, Mallon K, Kwan AS, Owsley C.Effects of age-related macular degeneration on driving performance.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2018;59(1):273-279. doi:10.1167/iovs.17-22751Bright Focus.Specialty glasses for macular degeneration.International Academy of Low Vision Specialists.Can you drive with macular degeneration?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Highway Safety Administration.Driving when you have macular degeneration.Bright Focus Foundation.Driving and macular degeneration.National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Wood JM, Black AA, Mallon K, Kwan AS, Owsley C.Effects of age-related macular degeneration on driving performance.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2018;59(1):273-279. doi:10.1167/iovs.17-22751Bright Focus.Specialty glasses for macular degeneration.International Academy of Low Vision Specialists.Can you drive with macular degeneration?
National Highway Safety Administration.Driving when you have macular degeneration.
Bright Focus Foundation.Driving and macular degeneration.
National Eye Institute.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Wood JM, Black AA, Mallon K, Kwan AS, Owsley C.Effects of age-related macular degeneration on driving performance.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2018;59(1):273-279. doi:10.1167/iovs.17-22751
Bright Focus.Specialty glasses for macular degeneration.
International Academy of Low Vision Specialists.Can you drive with macular degeneration?
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