In the earliest stages of macular degeneration, it may be a little harder to see. Vision may be blurred for distance or for reading, or both.

A very frequent and important symptom is distortion. Straight lines will not look straight. A telephone pole or a door frame may seem a little bent, crooked, or irregular, as though seen through heat waves on a highway. An area of the Amsler grid will appear distorted and the small boxes in that area will vary in shape and size (see above). Also, you may see a dark gray spot similar to the aftereffect caused by a flashbulb. There may be other changes in vision: you may notice that the size of an object appears different for each eye or that colors don't look the same for each eye. These changes in eyesight are important symptoms and anyone who has these symptoms should make sure that he or she sees the eye doctor promptly. Do not assume you simply need a new pair of glasses and wait for an appointment in the future.