In the early stages of dry macular degeneration, patients are often asymptomatic. The earliest findings in dry macular degeneration, drusen and mild break-down of the layer underneath the retina (the retinal pigment epithelium), often go unnoticed. As these findings progress, patients may become aware of mild distortion or blurriness.
Patients will often mistake these symptoms as being secondary to a refractive error (meaning they need a change in their glasses) or attribute them to cataracts. Patients often ignore early symptoms and only mention them to their eye care provider at their annual examination.