Day-to-day life

Living with wet AMD

Having vision loss can severely impact your daily life, from reading a book to driving your car, but there are tools and support available to help you continue on with your life.

It’s important to stay healthy because AMD is linked to lifestyle choices. Therefore consider:^1,2

Three boxes with images and captions. The first has a balanced diet wheel with the caption “eating a balanced diet”, the second has a stick man stretching and the caption “regular exercise”, and the last is a cigarette in a prohibition sign with the caption “stop smoking”.

Low vision rehabilitation

This is a form of therapy for your eyes where a specialist can teach you techniques, such as eccentric viewing training, to make the most of your remaining vision.³

Low vision aids and technology

Using low vision aids and utilising technology can make daily tasks easier for you. Some examples are shown below:^1,3-5

4 circles in a row with line drawings and captions. The first contains a phone with pages for a screen and the caption “use electronic reading aids”, the second contains a lightbulb and the caption “enhance the lighting in your home”, the third contains a magnifying glass and the caption “use a magnifying device, and the last contains a voice recorder symbol and a house with the caption “Use smart home virtual assistants to control heating, read recipes, set reminders, etc.

Driving

Because AMD causes vision loss and blind spots, it can impact your ability to drive safely. Being diagnosed doesn’t immediately stop you from driving, but it's important to talk to your eye doctor, who can advise you on whether your sight is good enough to drive.^1,2

If your condition gets worse, you should consider using alternative modes of transport such as taxis, buses, and trains.²

Work

You can still succeed at work despite having vision loss. And it shouldn’t be seen as a barrier to work. As we have discussed, there are tools and techniques that can help you with daily tasks, but it might be worthwhile discussing your condition with your employer so they can help you and provide adjustments.⁶

If you are finding work difficult, support and advice are available, such as through the RNIB [JC1]. [JC1]https://www.rnib.org.uk/living-with-sight-loss/equality-and-employment/

References

NHS. Living with AMD. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/age-related-macular-degeneration-amd/living-with-amd/.. Last accessed April 2025.
Guide Dogs. Living with macular degeneration. Available at: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/getting-support/information-and-advice/eye-conditions/macular-degeneration/living-with-macular-degeneration/. Last accessed April 2025.
Cleveland Clinic. Wet macular Degeneration. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/wet-macular-degeneration. Last accessed April 2025.
Mayo Clinic. Wet macular degeneration. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wet-macular-degeneration/symptoms-causes/syc-20351107. Last accessed April 2025.
Guide Dogs. Skills and strategies for central vision damage. Available at: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/getting-support/information-and-advice/life-skills/making-the-most-of-your-vision/skills-and-strategies-for-central-vision-damage/. Last accessed April 2025.
RNIB. Practical and emotional support. Available at: https://www.rnib.org.uk/living-with-sight-loss/. Last accessed May 2025.