Question
could you please tell me what were the very initial symptoms u experienced as regards to macular degeneration and retinal detachments?it seems i have likely chances of developing macular degeneration and retinal tears.seems quite frightening!!i am quite young.i dont notice any wavy lines while looking at the amsler grid nor do i see any black spots or blind areas in my vision.could u please guide me.my doctor has given me some antioxidants to slow down the progression.
But i find no symptoms to alert an emergency.

Answer
Logan,
    I do not have any first-hand experience with macular degeneration. My detachments resulted from something called TORCH syndrome, which I had from birth.
    I had developed cataracts in both eyes, my left eye being the worst. They performed surgery on the left eye, and part of what they did required them to remove the vitreous (a jelly like substance that fills the eye). That caused my already weak retinas to tear.
    It was about a month after surgery, when I noticed the symptoms. At first, over a couple of days, my vision out of that eye was liquid-like...as if I were looking through a magnifying lens, but moving the lens quickly, causing objects to appear big, then small, and big again. A few days later my eye was very red and bloodshot...the lid drooped...things seemed darker...and as it progressed I started seeing black splotches. The doctor said that the detachment happened quickly, which is why the symptoms came all at once. In later detachments, which were not as severe so the symptoms were not as obvious, I noticed something I call "streaking." When I'd move my eye around, a flash, or streak, of light would appear. This happened a lot during the second detachment. It happened again, for the third detachment, but was not as obvious (again, because the detachment was less severe). My doctor referred to the streaking as tugging. It's when the retina tugs against the back of the eye. It does not always mean a detachment for sure...but if it happens in an eye that's not had detachment before, it's a sign there's something serious going on.
    I am not a doctor, but from all that I have gathered over the past two years of having to deal with detachments, I have learned that in people with normal, healthy, eyes, detachments can take days...even months...to notice. In people with eye problems, it can be more noticeable and is more likely to happen quickly. This is not 100% of everyone, all the time, because each eye is different, of course.
    It is good that you are aware of the symptoms and are looking out for them. Being aware is the first step. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, go and see your doctor. Even if it's nothing, it is better to be safe than sorry. I saw my doctor so many times I felt as though I lived in the office. I learned so much, through those visits, though. I learned what was causing my symptoms, what was really a detachment, and what was just side effects of weak retinas. I do not go to the office as much now, because I have come to understand my eye better. But I do not hesitate to go, when something new, and different, arises. The sooner you detect a detachment, the easier it is to fix.
    Just be on the look out, and aware of what your eyes are seeing. At first, it may feel as though it's controlling your life because you are constantly checking to see if things are normal. However, it becomes second nature and you do not even realize how aware you are.
    God bless and good luck,
Jeannine